Farrell welcomes bonus-point win over 'tough' Welsh

IRELAND coach Andy Farrell said he and his team would gladly "take" the bonus-point win they secured over a dogged Welsh side that kept alive their slim hopes of the Six Nations title.

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The Irish won 27-17 but the outcome of Friday's match was in the balance throughout a riveting, if error-strewn, contest.

Victory guaranteed the Irish will round off their campaign in a Triple Crown decider at home to Scotland next weekend. The chance to reclaim the title they won in 2024 wwas likely gone by then but pending reigning champions France securing a bonus-point win over the Scots in Edinburgh later yesterday.

Farrell, who made five changes to the starting XV that hammered England 42-21 a fortnight ago, preferred to look at the match as one in which the Welsh produced one of their best performances for a long time.

Coming off the back of going close to beating Scotland last time, Wales have a chance to end their 15-match Six Nations losing run against Italy in Rome next Saturday.

"I actually thought Wales did fantastically well to stay in the game," said Farrell.

"They played tough, they hung on in there and kept it close on the scoreboard. I thought they were tremendous.