WALES suffered more misery as they slumped to a heavy defeat at the hands of Ireland at a bitterly cold Lansdowne Road yesterday.

Wales went into the lead after only seven minutes, but it was one-way traffic after that as the Irish took control, scoring three tries and Ronan O'Gara kicking 16 points.

Wales received a major blow when they lost outside half Stephen Jones who limped off after 19 minutes and his replacement Gavin Henson proved completely out of sorts though playing in a relatively unfamiliar position.

But the Welsh pack also struggled after a promising opening. The Irish eight got on top and established a stranglehold which they were never to lose and Wales subsided gently and without much fight.

Now the knives will be out again from an angry public already reeling from the loss of coach Mike Ruddock and with many questions left unanswered by WRU chiefs Steve Lewis and David Pickering.

This was the chance for the players to show that the removal of Ruddock and his replacement by Scott Johnson was the right move, but they didn't take it. Though, to be fair, the loss of nine players from the Grand Slam winning game against Ireland 11 months ago was too big a hurdle to overcome.

As a first game in complete charge by Johnson it was a failure and Wales will have to win their two remaining home Six Nations games against Italy and France if they are to salvage anything from the wreckage of this season.

Even then the knives will still be out for Lewis and Pickering - probably at an EGM - that much was obvious from the reaction of Welsh fans in Ireland.

Lansdowne Road is a cold arena at the best of times, but it was absolutely bitter as the teams took the field, the Welsh team barely able to stand through the long drawn out 'Ireland's Call' before the match.

Luscombe ran into a brick wall almost immediately, but he took players out and when the ball came back Ireland were caught offside, but Stephen Jones' penalty shot from 45 yards was held up on the wind after seeming on target.

It remained a bright opening by Wales, though, as the ball went through the hands, but Martyn Williams must have had his heart in his mouth as his optimistic pass was intercepted by Horgan, but fortunately for Wales he knocked on. Wales persisted and Stephen Jones made a fine break, Luscombe twice carrying on, but Owen couldn't take advantage and Ireland relieved the pressure when Wales were penalised for holding on.

It was all Wales as they took the game to the Irish and they were rewarded after just seven minutes with a fine try. It owed a great deal to the inventiveness of Matthew Watkins who made a half break after Martyn Williams won a line-out at the tail, then chipped over the top where the chasing Mark Jones just beat Andrew Trimble to the ball and the touchdown for an unconverted try in the corner.

Ireland hadn't threatened once, but they got back in the game when the Welsh backs were caught offside and O'Gara kicked a straight 40 yard penalty downwind.

Wales suffered another blow after 19 minutes when Stephen Jones was tackled late and heavily. He couldn't carry on and had to be helped off, replaced by Gavin Henson to a mixture of cheers and boos.

It was only his fifth game in a season dogged by injury and suspension, and almost immediately he missed a tackle on Trimble which set up Ireland's first attacking position.

They almost took advantage as Leamy tried to force his way over but was held up by the conbined efforts of Henson, Williams and Thomas over the Wales line as the referee consulted the fourth official.

But they made it count just a minute later when again a pile of bodies crashed over the line and this time the try was awarded, given to flanker Wallace though O'Gara unaccountably missed the conversion attempt. Ireland had gained the upper hand now, helped by kicking and handling errors by Henson, and a lovely move involving Horgan,

O'Driscoll and O'Gara set up Flannery but the hooker was caught by the covering Byrne a few yards short. Luscombe held up Horgan and Henson cleared but Wales were caught offside and O'Gara put his second penalty over to stretch the lead to six points, which is how it remained at the interval.

Wales were soon under the cosh again, Henson slicing kicks all over the place, and Ireland scored their second try after just three minutes of the half. O'Driscoll made ground and threw out a long pass to Horgan who stepped inside James and Byrne as though they weren't there and shot over for a try which O'Gara converted.

O'Gara quickly added his third penalty after the Welsh defence was offside again.

The crowd were wolf whistling Henson every time he tried to kick Wales clear and jeering when he failed to find touch.

Gareth Delve replaced Charvis after 55 minutes, but just three minutes later O'Gara sent a 35 yard wide angled penalty over.

Ireland lost prop Marcus Horan after 68 minutes, painstakingly treated and carried off on a stretcher after lengthy attention to what appeared a serious neck injury.

The match just petered out after that, Wales long since reduced to also-rans.

There was still time for the Irish pack to heave Wales over their own line one more time, but after the referee went to the fourth official once more no try was awarded - instead Irish number eight Leamy was yellow carded for stamping.

But Wales conceded their third try in injury time when scrum half Peter Stringer pounced for a typical close-in try which O'Gara converted.

Ireland: G Murphy, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (captain), G D'Arcy, A Trimble, R O'Gara, P Stringer, M Horan (S Best 68), J Flannery (R Best 79), J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, M O'Kelly, S Easterby (M O'Driscoll 78), D Leamy, D Wallace (J O'Connor 76).

Scorers -- tries: D Wallace, S Horgan, P Stringer; conversions: R O'Gara (2); penalties: O'Gara (4). Wales: L Byrne (B Davies 73), M Jones, H Luscombe, M Watkins, D James, S Jones G Henson 19), D Peel, D Jones (G Jenkins 44) R Thomas (M Davies 61), A Jones, I Gough, R Sidoli, C Charvis G Delve 55), M Owen (captain), M Williams.

Scorers -- try: M Jones.

Referee: Mr J Kaplan (South Africa).