"Lacklustre" - Four Ireland stars who FLOPPED against Wales

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After dismantling England a fortnight ago, Andy Farrell’s side were expected to deliver another statement. Instead, a physical and determined Wales outfit — chasing a first championship win since 2023 — disrupted Ireland’s rhythm and kept the contest tight throughout.

Here we look at four underperformers from the Irish ranks.

Ringrose’s so-so Six Nations continued with a few uncharacteristic blunders, although he did produce some eye-wateringly violent inside lines that briefly threatened to crack the Welsh defence. He also shipped several heavy tackles from Eddie James as Wales hammered the Irish midfield at every opportunity.

Normally Mr Dependable, Ringrose had to battle to make any real impression against a strong Welsh centre partnership of Joe Hawkins and James, with Ireland’s attack at times looking too predictable to unlock them.

There had been speculation about Ringrose’s place in the starting XV with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw back in camp, and he did little to quieten that debate. A spilled backwards pass after 27 minutes summed up a frustrating afternoon as Wales swarmed the Irish centre before he could settle into any rhythm.

Osborne saw a fair amount of the ball but struggled to turn his touches into meaningful progress. He lost possession in the 20th minute, gifting Wales some badly needed breathing room when Ireland looked to be building pressure.

His issues under the high ball also resurfaced when he fumbled another aerial contest on 57 minutes, allowing Wales to regain territory at a key stage of the game.

The Leinster back did manage to fall over the line for a try in the 67th minute, but that moment could not completely mask an otherwise mixed display in which he struggled to consistently impose himself on proceedings.

Furlong dug in for plenty of hard yards but never quite looked like the destructive force Ireland rely on. His carrying lacked its usual punch and he even spilled possession in the 56th minute during one of Ireland’s forward surges.

Ireland did initially hold the upper hand at scrum time, and Furlong remained heavily involved in the tight exchanges as the Irish pack tried to grind down the Welsh defence.

However, his afternoon was blemished when he failed to stop opposite number Rhys Carre in the lead-up to Wales’ try before half-time. Frustration began to show as the game wore on, including a heated moment with replacement prop Nicky Smith before he was eventually withdrawn.

After a phenomenal showing against England, Gibson-Park ran out for his 50th Ireland cap but endured some costly moments as Wales disrupted Ireland’s attacking rhythm.

He remains the focal point of Ireland’s attack, yet his execution was occasionally off. An early pass flew behind Jack Conan and into touch, while he also had to leave the field briefly for a blood replacement midway through the first half.

His most damaging error came on the Welsh try line when he threw a loose pass that was intercepted, handing Wales a lifeline to clear their lines. While he still dictated much of Ireland’s tempo, it was a performance that fell short of the high standards he set in the previous round.