How Wales Won The Six Nations Grand Slam

Wales beat Ireland 25-7 at the Principality Stadium to complete a Grand Slam in last year’s Six Nations Championship. They dominated Ireland from start to finish to ensure Warren Gatland became the first coach in history to win three Grand Slams after the triumphs in 2008 and 2012.

Here’s how the 2019 title decider played out…

2min: TRY! A good Wales chase from the kick-off forces Ireland into touch and gives the hosts a lineout in the 22. They set the drive, Ken Owens splinters off, then Gareth Davies feeds Gareth Anscombe, who kicks the ball with the outside of his boot.

Hadleigh Parkes collects the chip and touches down for the opening try after one minute, ten seconds. Anscombe converts.

Wales 7-0 Ireland

7min: Ireland penalty. Johnny Sexton spots an opportunity out wide and puts in a cross-field kick for Jacob Stockdale. The winger collects the ball, sprints down the wing past Gareth Davies before Hadleigh Parkes brings him to ground and Stockdale knocks on.

9min: Dan Biggar replaces the injured George North. Biggar takes over at fly-half, Gareth Anscombe moves to full-back and Liam Williams goes onto the wing.

Positional switch: Gareth Anscombe moved to full-back with Dan Biggar going to fly-half (Getty Images)

Alun Wyn Jones receives treatment after appearing to injure his knee in a maul, but gets back to his feet to play on.

16min: Wales penalty. Dan Biggar up-and-under is chased well by Liam Williams and he puts pressure on Jacob Stockdale, forcing a penalty for sealing off. Gareth Anscombe kicks it.

Wales 10-0 Ireland

19min: Ireland penalty. Wales had been awarded a penalty for offside but it was reversed after Gareth Davies dived on Bundee Aki while he was on the ground. Johnny Sexton clears.

21min: From the ensuing lineout, Johnny Sexton kicks behind the Welsh defence, Gareth Anscombe juggles the ball and can only clear to the 22.

23min: Ireland penalty. Wales infringe at a maul from a lineout and Johnny Sexton kicks for a 5m lineout. Adam Beard and Justin Tipuric disrupt the maul effectively to secure scrum put-in. It’s a messy scrum and, under pressure from Ireland defenders, Dan Biggar passes to Josh Adams to clear.

27min: Ireland free-kick. Wales penalised for early engage at scrum 10m from their line. CJ Stander tries to take a quick tap but knocks on. Wales get the scrum and Jonathan Davies clears.

33min: Wales penalty. Adam Beard steals an Ireland lineout and Alun Wyn Jones carries hard at Ireland defence, then Wales kick cross field to Liam Williams. Ireland penalised for offside and Gareth Anscombe slots the points.

Wales 13-0 Ireland

40min: Wales penalty. James Ryan spotted to have knocked the ball on as he tackled Josh Navidi and Ireland are penalised at the subsequent scrum. Gareth Anscombe kicks the points.

HALF-TIME: Wales 16-0 Ireland

47min: Wales penalty. Cian Healy is pinged for barging Tomas Francis off the ball and Gareth Anscombe kicks the three.

Wales 19-0 Ireland

48min: Johnny Sexton’s restart goes dead and Wales have a scrum back on halfway.

Off target: Johnny Sexton after miskicking the restart (Getty Images)

51min: Wales penalty. Ireland don’t roll away at a ruck and Gareth Anscombe steps up to the tee again.

Wales 22-0 Ireland

55min: Ireland penalty. Ireland opt to kick for a lineout in the 22. After a series of pick-and-goes from the forwards, Conor Murray feeds Johnny Sexton but miscommunication with Rob Kearney results in pass rolling into touch.

59min: Ireland disrupt the lineout that follows but Cian Healy cannot pick up the loose ball before it rolls into touch. Ireland get throw-in but a few phases later Justin Tipuric disrupts their ruck and Wales get a scrum following a knock-on. Then the hosts clear.

62min: Wales put in a kick behind the Irish defence, Keith Earls gets to the ball first and touches down for a 22 dropout, but a TMO check shows the Ireland winger carried the ball over the try-line and it’s a 5m scrum for Wales. Then Ireland win a penalty at that scrum and clear.

66min: Josh Adams breaks through the middle of the pitch and kicks ahead. Jordan Larmour collects the ball and Keith Earls clears to just outside the 22.

69min: Wales penalty. Andrew Porter penalised at the breakdown and Gareth Anscombe slots the three points.

Wales 25-0 Ireland

Points machine: Gareth Anscombe kicks a penalty during the Grand Slam decider (Getty Images)

73min: Ireland penalty. Wales infringe in their own half and Ireland kick for touch in the 22. Ireland retain possession through the phases but Welsh defence holds firm.

77min: Ireland penalty. Wales are penalised again at end of that series of phases and Ireland go for a 5m lineout. Garry Ringrose knocks on and Wales clear downfield.

79min: Ireland penalty. Ireland get the upper hand at a scrum and kick for touch from the penalty.

83min: TRY! Jacob Stockdale gets within a metre of the line before being tackled. The ball is recycled and Jordan Larmour arcs around the Welsh defence to score a try. Jack Carty converts.

FULL-TIME: Wales 25-7 Ireland