Andy Farrell: Wales defeats don't tell full story

If there was any sense that Ireland and Andy Farrell could be lulled into thinking Saturday's meeting with Wales at the Aviva Stadium was a done deal, the Ireland coach's team selection will have nipped that theory in the bud.

The big hitters are all back after four of them were either rested or not risked against Italy due to minor knocks; Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, captain Peter O'Mahony and Bundee Aki all return, while Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park come in from the bench.

With Ciarán Frawley coming in at full-back for the injured Hugo Keenan, it shows 14 of the 15 starters from the bonus-point win against France in week one. Just like that night in Marseille, Farrell has gone with a 6:2 split on the bench, a further nod to how seriously he's taking this game.

"We view them in the highest regard," Farrell says of Wales, who have lost narrowly to both Scotland and England in their opening games.

"It's a Test match. It's a war of attrition and they're going to give it absolutely everything they've got.

"We've got to manage ourselves from the start of the game to the end in the best way possible, really, because if we don't we'll come unstuck, really, there's no doubt about that."

For what's traditionally been a close, back and forth rivalry, the last couple of years have seen a gulf emerge between Ireland and Wales.

While Wales defeated Ireland in Cardiff in 2021 during their surprise title win, Ireland have won their other meetings since the 2019 World Cup, by 10, 23, 22 and 24 points respectively.

There's no denying Warren Gatland's side are coming to Dublin in hope rather than expectation, and while they visit the defending champions off the back of a pair of defeats, Farrell says the scorelines don't