Wales must get smart - Shane (From Western Telegraph)

Wales must get smart - Shane

1:20pm Friday 12th March 2010 in

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WING wizard Shane Williams believes Wales have to get smart if they are to avoid more Six Nations woe in Dublin tomorrow.

The Croke Park showdown with Ireland will dictate whether Warren Gatland’s side are able to finish with a positive 3-2 record from this year’s campaign.

The win over Scotland is their only victory so far and even that came after a poor start, a trait that condemned them to defeat against England and France.

Wales have finished strongly in all three games so far, prompting Williams to jest that a 30-minute friendly before kick-off could be worth considering.

“Fitness has never been an issue,” said the Ospreys winger. “We feel we have been fitter than the three teams that we have played so far and that’s the frustrating thing.

“It is all about thinking teams off the park as well as physically playing them, which sometimes we forget.

“We try chucking the ball around a bit too much at times when we don’t need to. Sometimes we need to go to the air a bit and play that boring kicking game that everyone talks about and win the territory battle.

“Hopefully now we have learned and we feel if we can start the game well against Ireland, we know we will finish the game strongly as well. So let’s wait and see.”

It will be Osprey v Osprey tomorrow afternoon when left wing Williams goes up against right wing Tommy Bowe.

The Irishman outshined the Welshman when the sides met in Cardiff last season but it won’t be personal for Williams.

He said: “It is not about me and Tommy it is about Wales going out and beating Ireland at Croke Park. That’s our first and foremost target.

“What’s good is when you are playing against form wingers, that usually brings the best out of you. It keeps you on your toes and you know you have to have a good game against the likes of Tommy.

“He is a player that consistently plays well and works hard, and always finds himself with ball in hand.

“That’s why he scores so many tries. He is a very hard worker and that means I am going to have to work as hard as him if not harder.”