ireland takes big step toward triple crown with 263 win over wales feb 9 2014ireland will be chasing a triple crown when the european six nations resumes in two weeks while victories over the three british nations in the tournament england wales and scotland may not carry the aura it did in earlier generations it remains something to be proud of especially a season after a british and irish lions tour ireland took a big step toward the triple crown when it followed its opening day victory over scotland with a 263 humiliation of the reigning champion wales in dublin on saturday the foul weather that has lashed the british isles meant the match was no thing of beauty it was no day for freeflowing rugby but wales was both outfought and outthoughtit was the most disappointing performance from us since i have been the wales coach warren gatland who has had the job since december 2007 told reporters after the game there was a lot at stake emotionally for the irish thats a huge part of the performance now we have to take a long hard look at ourselves and maybe change personnelireland scored 13 points in each half and allowed only a single penalty by leigh halfpenny after the breakit scored a try in each half the flanker chris henry forced his way over from close range in the 32nd minute and the replacement flyhalf paddy jackson crossed a minute before the endpart of the emotion referred to by gatland came from irish perceptions that he had favored welsh players in selecting the lions team last summer especially after he dropped the longtime irish center brian odriscoll for the final test against australiaany such slights were repaid almost every irishman outplayed his opponent and ireland monopolized possession and field position as it followed tactics perfectly calibrated for the conditionsit was all pulled together by an irishman whom gatland had picked for the lions tests jonathan sexton the flyhalf he kicked 14 points and controlled the game with his tactical kickinga marvellous display by jonathan sexton said the legendary welsh outside jonathan davies on bbc television the variety of his kicking has been brilliant wales contributed to its own downfall as the former ireland player philip matthews told the bbc wales made too many mistakes and didnt have a plan b despite having won the past two six nations wales has been criticized as onedimensional and unlikely to beat teams that it cannot outmuscle and saturdays performance did little to shatter that belief it was completely overpowered by ireland and conceded 17 penalties it trailed by 16 points for almost the entire second half yet it stuck to conservative tactics kicking possession away instead of attacking with the ball in hand until the game was nearly over of the two potential gamechangers on the welsh bench loose forward justin tipuric appeared only for the final few minutes and the midfield playmaker james hook did not play at allit was