Eddie O'Sullivan: Ireland coach Andy Farrell faces crucial call at inside centre for Wales

rte.ie:

Eddie O'Sullivan says that Ireland head coach Andy Farrell faces a crucial call at inside centre for Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Wales.With Robbie Henshaw still sidelined with a wrist injury, Farrell’s options at 12 are Bundee Aki, Stuart McCloskey or the uncapped Jamie Osborne.Aki is short on game time, having not been selected by Connacht since loss to Ulster on 23 December, while McCloskey has rediscovered some form in recent weeks as Ulster snapped their losing skid."It’s a tough one because effectively Aki hasn’t played for six weeks," former Ireland boss O’Sullivan told Against The Head."The options really are himself or McCloskey, they’re not going to pick Osborne.

There’s a risk to it but it has happened before. Aki has come into the team with not much rugby under his belt and done okay."That to me is a crucial call, especially away from home.

There’s not much room for error in Cardiff."Ireland have lost on their last four visits to Cardiff in the Six Nations but head into Saturday's game as the No 1-ranked side in the world and on a five-game winning streak that includes victories over New Zealand (twice), South Africa and Australia.Ireland are strong favourites to get off their campaign off to a winning start but O’Sullivan is expecting a response from Wales now that his former colleague Warren Gatland is back at the helm."Cardiff is always a difficult place to win in the Six Nations," he said. "We know the Welsh teams don’t perform particularly well in the URC but put them into a Wales jersey and everything is different."It is one of the great mysteries of Welsh rugby, how they can elevate themselves when they put on that jersey, but they do, and every year you go to Cardiff it’s a tricky fixture."If