Ireland v Wales LIVE: Result and reaction from Six Nations

Ireland 31-7 Wales: Andy Farrell’s men were made to work hard by stubborn visitors but a bonus-point win moved them closer to a grand slam

Six Nations: Full Contact trailer

Grand slam-chasing Ireland rugby made it three bonus-point Six Nations wins from three against Wales rugby at the Aviva Stadium, racking up their 18th successive home triumph with a 31-7 victory.

The hosts dominated the first half and led by 17-0 at the break thanks to tries from Dan Sheehan and James Lowe. A penalty try for Wales and yellow card for Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne just after half-time threatened to make things interesting.

Ireland mostly retained control with 14 men, though a ragged second half remained competitive until Ciaran Frawley marked his first Six Nations start with a debut try on 67 minutes and Beirne added the bonus-point try at the death as Wales sank to their 10th defeat in their last 11 Six Nations game.

Ireland travel to England in two weeks before hoping to play for their second successive grand slam at home to Scotland on 16 March. Wales have back-to-back home games against France and Italy, with the latter now a potential wooden spoon decider.

Relive all the action from Dublin below:

Six Nations - Ireland vs Wales LIVE

• Ireland beat Wales 31-7 in the Six Nations to move a step closer to a grand slam
• REPORT: Stubborn Wales can’t stop Ireland’s grand slam march
• FULL-TIME! Ireland 31-7 Wales
• 80+2’ - TRY! Tadhg Beirne crashes over for the bonus-point score (IRE 31-7 WAL)
• 68’ - TRY! Ciaran Frawley slices through for Ireland’s third try (IRE 24-7 WAL)
• 59’ - NO TRY! Bundee Aki barrels over but sees try ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up (IRE17-7 WAL)
• 43’ - TRY! Tadhg Beirne pinged for changing his bind and Wales awarded penalty try (IRE 17-7 WAL)
• 32’ - TRY! James Lowe finishes patient team move in the corner (IRE 17-0 WAL)
• 21’ - TRY! Dan Sheehan benefits from muscular maul (IRE 10-0 WAL)

[24 February 2024 15:29 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-7 Wales, 51 minutes

A couple of changes after that elongated period of action. Dillon Lewis is on for Keiron Assiratti on the Welsh tighthead, and Josh van der Flier appears to be heading down the tunnel for a head injury assessment - Jack Conan is the first of Ireland’s six bench forwards introduced.

(Getty Images)

[24 February 2024 15:28 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-7 Wales, 50 minutes

A clever cross-kick from Jack Crowley finds Calvin Nash in a sliver of space, but Wales cover well. Ciaran Frawley tries something similar but his lob wedge is secured by Josh Adams.

Finally a chance to draw breath! A neck roll is spotted by one of the assistants and Andrea Piardi has cause to blow his whistle. Phew.

[24 February 2024 15:27 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-7 Wales, 49 minutes

This is the rugby chaos that Wales assistant coach Rob Howley was talking about earlier in the week. Ciaran Frawley’s chip and chase looks good but for an outstanding intervention from Aaron Wainwright, who then nearly produces a brilliant 50:22, the bounce of the ball unkind to the number eight.

Neither side wants to kick the ball off. Rio Dyer scurries down the left touchline and then there looks to be space as Wales play away from the ruck, but a Nick Tompkins spill ends any thought of exploring it.

Still no break in play. Jamison Gibson-Park’s box kick is long and accurate. Tomos Williams’s reply shorter and less so - Irish possession on halfway as this interminable passage continues.

[24 February 2024 15:24 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-7 Wales, 46 minutes

A grubber ricochets off three pairs of legs and ends up in Welsh hands, Cameron Winnett (just re-strapped after that earlier blow to the face) meandering a bit but eventually finding support.

Wales kick into the Ireland half, but not out of play, as has been their strategy all afternoon. On we go.

[24 February 2024 15:22 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-7 Wales, 44 minutes

That’s just the start to the half that Warren Gatland would have wanted. Ireland don’t seem to have let Beirne’s binning impact them, though - some lively handling and into the Welsh half they advance.

[24 February 2024 15:21 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

PENALTY TRY! Ireland 17-7 WALES (43 minutes)

There’s no grounding, but Tadhg Beirne’s change of bind is deemed to have denied a certain score - a penalty try!

Andrea Piardi goes to his pocket and then under the posts - Wales finally break through and Beirne is dispatched to the sin bin.

[24 February 2024 15:19 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Try? Ireland 17-0 Wales, 41 minutes

A healthy shove from Wales and has the maul got there? There are red shirts over the line but can the officiating team identify a grounding?

Not on the field, although assistant Karl Dickson believes that an Irish player may have changed his bind to deny the score. Upstairs to TMO Eric Gauzins to sort it all out...

[24 February 2024 15:17 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-0 Wales, 42 minutes

A bit of a delay as Cameron Winnett is patched up having taken a stray stud to the eyebrow. Nasty, but entirely accidental.

Ioan Lloyd is stripped off in case Winnett requires stitches, but the cotton wool and tape combo appears to have done the job. Sam Costelow prods into the left corner.

[24 February 2024 15:16 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-0 Wales, 42 minutes

Jack Crowley is soon forced to kick, though, and into a bit of aerial ping-pong we go.

Cameron Winnett ends it by charging back, and draws a breakdown peanlty, which Tomos Williams taps quickly. And Ireland are starting to get on Andrea Piardi’s bad side - the Italian referee has a stern word with Peter O’Mahony for the latest ruck infringement, Piardi not willing to entertain the Ireland captain’s argument that the infringing individual was counter-rucking legally.

[24 February 2024 15:14 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Ireland 17-0 Wales, 41 minutes

Ireland break the line with their first carry, Tadhg Beirne spinning out of a tackle and up the right touchline. Ominous.