A 2023 victory over Italy in Rome was the last time Wales savoured that winning feeling in the Six Nations and while predictions the losing streak will end in Dublin on Friday are thin on the ground, Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell insists “we don’t expose ourselves” to such discourse.
Certainly, it’s been another tough campaign for the Welsh who were whitewashed in the last two championships, while they look favourites for a third-straight wooden spoon with three defeats in their opening fixtures this year.
However, O’Connell does not believe the outlook is as bleak for Steve Tandy’s side as some predict, refusing to downplay the chances of their visitors who were minutes from victory against Scotland in their last outing.
Still, the Irish approach remains the same, less concerned about what the opposition will bring and more about “getting excited to do our thing”.
“For sure, we focus on the opposition but less than we did in my playing days,” the former Ireland captain told reporters on Tuesday.
“There’s real excitement about how we’re going to play and perform, but having said that, Wales have excellent players and athletes, really good coaches.
“You’ve seen hints of it over the last few months and I think Wales are going to get better and better, but for us, it’s about our performance.
“We’re expecting a tough game, but we want to see us getting better at what we do.”
