Wales assistant Rob Howley has defended Warren Gatland against Irish claims he has the ‘intellectual properties of a tub of Flora’. Gatland was subjected to a bitter personal attack by 36-cap lock and outspoken columnist Neil Francis, who accused the Kiwi of ‘shameful nepotism’ by selecting 10 Wales players for the final Test on the 2013 Lions tour. Francis added that Gatland was focused on improving his contract negotiations with the WRU at the time, prompting Howley to label the verbal barbs as ‘disappointing’ and ‘unfair’. Warren Gatland prepares his Wales team for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland . Wales coach Gatland was subjected to a personal attack by former Ireland player Neil Francis . How Wales and Ireland will line up for the Six Nations match on Saturday . ‘You have to experience the Lions to understand the Lions,’ said Howley. ‘I’m not too sure if Neil Francis was a Lion. ‘The wonderful thing about rugby is everyone has their opinion about how the game should be played and there are personalities within the game. ‘When it becomes personal it is disappointing. The game is bigger than that. For someone to have an individual criticism and a personal snipe at someone who has won a Lions series, been involved in Six Nations Grand Slams and championships, is disappointing. We don’t need comments like that. It is a personal attack and totally unfair.’ Francis faced Wales four times for Ireland in the 1990s and was involved in a famous bust-up in 1992 with Tony Copsey, who knocked the forward off his feet with a right hook. ‘Neil was a very capable player and wasn’t someone to wind up the opposition,’ recalled Copsey. ‘We got on very well off the field, but he has always liked a controversial comment as a pundit.’ Since Francis played his final Test in 1996, Wales have managed just two wins over the Irish in Cardiff. Gatland was accused of having the 'intellectual properties of a tub of flora' by Francis . Wales assistant Rob Howley leapt to the defence of Gatland, labelling the barbs 'disappointing' and 'unfair' Gatland has endured a prickly relationship with the Irish media — being compared to a ‘menopausal warthog’ in 2010 — and is hoping to silence his critics in Saturday’s Test at the Millennium Stadium. The 51-year-old, who coached Ireland between 1998 and 2001, has refused to engage in a war of words this week and has instead praised Joe Schmidt’s team, laying the pressure on their doorstep. He has bypassed the ‘challenge’ of playing under a closed roof, with Howley confirming on Thursday that Wales will break with tradition and keep it open. The decision has avoided the sideshow that preceded Wales’s opening fixture against England, whose defeat in Dublin last week has been studied by the Welsh coaches. Gatland was also accused of ‘shameful nepotism’ by selecting 10 Wales players for the final Lions Test, 2013 . Howley sais Wales will be looking to dominate possession and territory against Ireland . ‘Watching Ireland against England was similar to our game at Twickenham last year,’ revealed Howley. ‘The things we need to dominate are territory and possession. That’s key against Ireland and they will be looking at those stats as well. ‘If you’ve got possession, then you don’t have to fight the aerial battle and the astute tactical kicking by Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton. Over the last four or five years the aerial battle has been a significant technical part of the game. It’s about winning the sky and we’re happy with where we’re at in terms of that battle.’ Sexton’s kicking game was one of Ireland’s most potent weapons in Dublin but the No 10 has since been struggling with a hamstring injury. He has been named in Ireland’s starting XV and Wales will be hoping the 29-year-old is a yard off the pace following his setback. Neil Francis represented Ireland 36 times during his career and is now an outspoken columnist . He will be joined in the line-up by Lions No 8 Jamie Heaslip, with the Leinsterman completing a remarkable return to fitness after breaking three vertebrae in his back only last month. Heaslip completes a powerful back row alongside Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’ Brien, who developed a close relationship with fellow farmer and Wales flanker Dan Lydiate on the 2013 Lions tour, which drew criticism from Francis. Lydiate — a strong campaigner against falling butter and milk prices — knows he will have to be at his chop-tackling best against the 28-year-old flanker. ‘Sean’s not easy to stop and it’s about slowing him down before he gets going,’ said Lydiate. ‘We got on quite well on the Lions tour and we’d always chat about farming with Tom Youngs and Rory Best. Sean’s sponsored by Massey-Ferguson and it’s only recently that I’ve been sponsored by JCB. ‘That’s something we can chat about after the game, but we’ll be giving blood, sweat and tears come the match.’
Gatland subjected to bitter personal attack by  columnist Neil Francis . Wales assistant Rob Howley leapt to the defence of colleague Gatland . Wales will play Ireland with the roof open at the Millennium Stadium .