Ruthless Ireland obliterate injury-hit Wales to lay down Six Nations marker

Quite a few people thought Ireland would beat champions Wales. They were wrong. Ireland absolutely obliterated them. But even that is not quite right. What makes this win so impressive was the dexterity of it, the effortless command of fingers and angles, which made us almost not notice the physicality of which they have long been purveyors.

If 29-7 does not sound quite an obliteration, the truth is that 50 points would have not flattered the Irish. Four tries, though, three of them scored in the third quarter, represent a full house of points, so “job done”, that old catchphrase of champions, applies here regardless. If Ireland were not favourites for the title, they could not have done much more for their prospects than dismantle the champions like this. Wales are used to being underrated despite a record this century better than anyone’s, but they are without a host of points of reference. It showed. They looked lost by the end. They were not the only ones at the start.

This is a familiar Ireland team, all the more so given 11 of them play for the same province, but here they launched a new star from the west. Even connoisseurs of rugby outside Galway would be forgiven for needing to read up about Mack Hansen this week. The Aussie-born son of an Irish mother pitched up a few months ago to honour his new contract with Connacht, and here he became a fully fledged Ireland international. A minute in, he was away down the left as if he had played with this crack outfit for years.

Ireland could not quite finish his chip and chase, but they scored from the line-out anyway. The try was scored by Bundee Aki, who finished after a perfect cut-out pass by, well, this bloke Hansen again, but the blur of hands and bristling muscles