Simon Easterby praised Ireland’s mentality for “digging ourselves out of a hole” to overcome Wales in the Six Nations and keep their Grand Slam dream alive. Ireland started as massive favourites in Cardiff to inflict a 15th-successive defeat on Wales following the departure of their head coach Warren Gatland.

Simon Easterby praised Ireland’s mentality for “digging ourselves out of a hole” to overcome Wales in the Six Nations and keep

Down a man and down on the scoreboard at half-time, there was nonetheless confidence Ireland could get the better in second-half

Ireland win a huge penalty at the scrum on their own line. Finlay Bealham has been immense in this game. Prendergast kicks it out on the full and Wales have a lineout in the Irish 22. What a moment for Jack Boyle here. 10 minutes in a cauldron with the game on the line.

Sonia O’Sullivan has her eye on this weekend’s Irish indoor championships, which will be missing some of our bigger names, while Johnny Watterson looks back at the life of Matt Doyle, who died earlier this month, the Californian who energised the Irish tennis scene back in the 1980s.

Dan Sheehan will captain unbeaten Ireland in Saturday’s Six Nations game against Wales in Cardiff after both Caelan Doris and Ronan Kelleher were ruled out through injury, the Irish Rugby Union said on Thursday.

Ireland were far from their best but Simon Easterby’s side dug deep to show incredible character to overcome a resurgent Wales in a 27-18 win at the Principlaity Stadium. It appeared as if the early Welsh enthusiasm was flattened with just seven minutes on the clock as Jack Conan powered his way over the line.