DUBLIN, March 6 - Ireland coach Andy Farrell and his players were full of praise for Wales on Friday after the Six Nations strugglers pushed their opponents mightily hard for the second successive week, progress the Welsh captain described as "monumental".

The 2021 champions, who have not won a Six Nations game in three years and conceded 102 points in the first two rounds of this campaign, followed up their agonising loss to Scotland two weeks ago by pushing Ireland all the way in Friday's 27-17 loss.