Rob Henderson is backing Ireland to overcome a Wales side at “rock bottom” this weekend.
Wales sacked Warren Gatland after a dismal run of form, which included comfortable defeats in their first wo Six Nations matches.
“There’s no denying this Welsh side are at rock bottom. And the Six Nations needs a strong Welsh team. It’s a transitional period for them and I feel sorry for Gatland,” Henderson told Express Sport’s Fraser Watson.
“I hope the Welsh players, past and present, and supporters don’t forget what he’s done for them with four Six Nations, three Grand Slams, two World Cup semi-finals and so on…
“But the new broom sweeps clean. I was with Ireland in Paris in 1998 when the French press were showing the top 10 heaviest defeats in international rugby. We hadn’t won there in 26 years and then nearly won the game (lost 18-16). Sport is a wonderful thing and can lead to extraordinary things.
“Ireland won’t take it lightly against a Welsh side clearly licking their wounds. They’ll want to perform at home for a new set-up. And there will be players wanting to put themselves in the shop window for Lions selection.
“But I think this Ireland team, even though there are changes this weekend, has got the experience to be able to deal with the pressures.”
Ryan Jones and Rob Henderson are set to host a social media watch-along live during the Wales vs Ireland match, enabled by network slicing on Vodafone’s 5G Standalone (5G SA) network.
In a UK first, the Instagram livestream will be hosted on Jones’ account. The technology on show is part of a Vodafone trial to demonstrate the use of multiple 5G SA network slices being used concurrently for different purposes during a live event.