Impressive Ireland too strong for inexperienced Wales

Some players will need to have a pretty good look at their game.

Earls was held up over the try-line by a superb tackle from Hibbard after breezing past Williams in midfield but Ireland got their second score from the resulting scrum.

Anscombe’s versatility as a fly-half and full-back could prove to be an important factor in the final World Cup selection reckoning and he was among only a small group of players who potentially enhanced their claims during a game that Ireland dominated. But ultimately these are some of the players who will be representing Wales at the World Cup.

Gatland and his coaches will whittle down their squad after their three-day camp/PR exercise in north Wales from 47 to at least 38 with uncapped Newport Gwent Dragons centre Jack Dixon among those who could be released.

“Trust me it was not one of the most enjoyable jobs I have done in my life”.

The Munster centre Keith Earls, playing in his first Test in two years, made the first of a number of breaks that allowed Fergus McFadden to take the ball deep into the Welsh territory.

This time Jackson made no mistake to make it 15-0 and, after Wales passed up the chance to put three points on the board – James Hook kicked to the corner but Jordi Murphy stole the lineout – Ireland extended their advantage.

“It was a bit of a stop-start game, and we would have liked to have kept the tempo a bit higher”. Schmidt’s will be hoping Ireland get through the warm-up games with a good run-out for the players and no injuries.

Trimble was full of energy.

Felix Jones showcased his all-round value, while Andrew Trimble’s cameo reminded everyone what he has to offer, especially his reading of the play to bury Eli Walker for the turnover that presented Earls with his try.

But after treatment the Munster flyer resumed and, with Moriarty rather harshly yellow carded, Ireland were quickly back in business.

But all of the lads, no matter how well they played, will be looking for improvements because that is the standard which has been set. Wales rallied at 35-7 down, profiting as the game broke up, but what will motivate them is what went before.

They will return to Carton House in Maynooth with a considerable pep in their step, and rightly so. Pick me!’ is a lot more preferable than his opposite number Warren Gatland’s position after a lacklustre and often sloppy Wales performance under the Millennium Stadium roof.

But, without a doubt, the standout performance of the weekend was Argentina’s shock defeat of South Africa in Durban’s Kings Park, their first-ever victory over the mighty Springboks.

Neither of them sparked at all, and could be under threat for their places in the final 31-man squad from Lloyd Williams and Gareth Anscombe, who arrived in the second half and both looked sharp. He has long been tipped for a World Cup spot since meeting with Gatland to discuss his global allegiance at the beginning of 2014 following a recommendation from former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith.

But he admits to feeling a lot more confident about his surroundings and will have been buoyed by a useful half hour’s work against the Irish.