Wales vs Ireland LIVE: Hosts hammer visitors to claim 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam

Here's how the final day of the Six Nations championship played out

Wales v Ireland: Six Nations match preview

Wales thrashed Ireland 25-7 to win the Six Nations Grand Slam.

Hadleigh Parkes' try inside just 70 seconds set the tone before fly-half Gareth Anscombe took over from the tee to add a further 20 points as the hosts hit the front and never looked back.

Ireland scored with the final play of the game to avoid being left scoreless but it was a day to forget for them in Cardiff.

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[16 March 2019 13:10 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 33 minutes

Mathieu Bastareaud makes some metres from a French line out, but a forced pop pass in contact to Geoffrey Doumayrou is rather destined for failure, and the La Rochelle centre obliges in handing the ball back to the Italians.

Plenty of desire to play rugby from both sides, but too many errors for anything cohesive to emerge so far.

[16 March 2019 13:11 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 34 minutes

Another French knock-on allows Luca Morisi to come through, strong support from the Italians enabling him to somehow work the ball back when it seemed Romain Ntamack had held him up.

[16 March 2019 13:12 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 35 minutes

France strip the ball (fairly in the opinion of Matthew Carley though not the home crowd) and kick into Italian territory, but Damian Penaud transgresses out of frustration, needlessly tackling Angelo Esposito after the winger had kicked the ball, and Italy will have a penalty where the ball landed.

To the corner again.

[16 March 2019 13:13 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 37 minutes

Another opportunity gone.

Leonardo Ghiraldini looks to Parisse at the back again, and this time he overcooks it. France boot the ball away.

[16 March 2019 13:15 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 38 minutes

What a line!

Braam Steyn cuts against the grain as Italy set up two runners inside him to take French defenders away, surging through a massive gap and getting all the way down to the five-metre.

Camille Chat is then penalised. Another Italian mauling opportunity.

[16 March 2019 13:16 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 39 minutes

The initial drive is repelled and the ball spills to floor again, but it's backwards, and Italy retain possession.

Here come the forward carriers...

[16 March 2019 13:17 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy 6-10 France, 40 minutes

Again!

Sergio Parisse again looks for the offload to cut the French defence open, but finds hard hands alongside him, and this time the ball clearly goes forward.

A wasteful half for Italy, and Conor O'Shea cuts a frustrated figure as he strides down the steps towards the dressing room.

[16 March 2019 13:18 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

HALF-TIME: Italy 6-10 France

[16 March 2019 13:24 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

An odd half.

Over 60% of the territory has gone Italy's way and they've been inside the French 22 on a number of occasions, but a string of errors at crucial moments has prevented Conor O'Shea's side capitalising on a strong half.

France took their chance, a lovely kick return from Maxime Medard and Damian Penaud setting up Antoine Dupont to coast in for the score. They, too, have had errors, and the seven penalties conceded in that half will be concerning to Jacques Brunel.

Both sides are clearly here to play rugby, and if the error count drops a little it could be a fantastic second half. The game is there for either team to take. 

[16 March 2019 13:26 · Harry Latham-Coyle]

Italy have eschewed several opportunities to have a shot at goal in pursuit of five points in the corner, but failed to cross the line in that half.

Will they regret those decisions?