Bold claim: Wales must find an upset to halt a 14-game Six Nations losing streak. And this is the part that makes pundits sit up and take notice: a familiar face could return to face Ireland as Ellis Mee looks set for a recall. Wales head coach Tandy, who will publish his team on Wednesday morning, will urge his players to back up their encouraging display against Scotland in an effort to derail Ireland’s tilt and snap the long winless run in the championship.
Mee started the opening two rounds against England and France but missed the trip to Scotland, where Hamer-Webb made his Test debut. The Leicester wing showed moments of promise, yet he also played a pivotal role in the lead to Darcy Graham’s try, a move born from Finn Russell’s astute quick restart.
Russell, the Scotland and Lions fly-half, took advantage of the space left by former Cardiff back Hamer-Webb after Jarrod Evans’ successful penalty. Blair Murray came on for Hamer-Webb after an early nose injury and remained as a permanent substitute for the final quarter, but Mee—renowned for his aerial ability—appears poised to win the nod for Dublin.
Botham featured in the first half versus Scotland and delivered a solid display, though he was caught out by Russell’s restart. The abrasive flanker is set to combine with Cardiff teammate Alex Mann, with number eight Wainwright’s availability currently in doubt due to injury.
Edwards, who had started seven matches before being dropped for the Scotland game, will pull the strings in midfield after Costelow’s lively performance was halted by an ankle injury. Harlequins’ Evans has been used off the bench five times by Tandy and hasn’t started a Test since 2021.
Wales has not defeated Ireland away in the Six Nations since 2012, nor secured a victory in Dublin since 2015. Ireland, after an opening defeat to France in Paris, have since beaten Italy and England to keep their title hopes alive, and a win would also seal the Triple Crown for them.
Controversy hook: Some observers question whether Mee’s return is the missing spark Wales needs, while others argue the broader squad balance and set-piece execution will decide the outcome. Will Mee’s aerial threat and line-speed reach the required level in time to overcome Ireland’s evolving game plan? And this is the part most people miss: the tactical adjustments in Dublin could redefine the Six Nations narrative this year. What do you think—can Wales finally conquer Ireland away from home, or is Ireland’s current momentum too strong? Share your take in the comments.
