It's been five years since they beat Ireland, and three years since their last win in the Six Nations, but Paul O’Connell believes that the tide is about to turn for Wales under head coach Steve Tandy.
It’s just over a year since Warren Gatland departed his disastrous second stint in charge of Wales, and their standing in the rugby world continued to plummet in the months since, winning just two of 12 games – both wins coming against Japan.
The first five of those games came with Matt Sherratt in temporary charge, and the former Cardiff boss has since handed over the head job to Tandy, staying on as attack coach.
A November slate which saw heavy defeats to Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand was followed by more off-the-field issues in Welsh rugby, with the news that the Ospreys could cease to exist beyond the 2026/27 season when the WRU plan to reduce their professional programme from four to three teams.
The build-up to the Six Nations came with threats of strike action which were eventually cooled, before they shipped a combined 102 points to England and France in their opening two games.
They could, and probably should, have beaten Scotland last time out, giving up a 20-5 lead in the second half before losing 26-23, although their marked improvement in performance will be a warning shot for Ireland not to be complacent after their emphatic 42-21 win against England that same afternoon.
"You've seen hints of it in the last few months. I think Wales are going to get better and better," O’Connell (below) said of his side’s opponents this Friday.
"For us, it's mainly just about us and our performance. We're expecting a tough game but we just want to see us getting better at what we do."
And the Ireland forwards coach says his belief that Wales can only get better stems from his knowledge of those on the coaching ticket.
"I really like the coaches they have," he added.
"I know Danny Wilson [forwards coach] really well from his time in Harlequins. They wouldn't have had the fastest lineout jumpers in Harlequins. [Irne] Herbst, the big South African, Joe Launchbury. Great players but probably not the greatest lineout jumpers in the world. He's a really good set-piece coach.
"Scotland have always been very tough for us to attack against under Steve Tandy. You know exactly what he stands for. There'll be so much pressure at the ruck all the time. They're very connected.
"Obviously, Matt [Sherratt] last year, we turned up in the Millennium Stadium and in a very short period of time he had them playing some really good attacking rugby. We've seen it already how their forwards are interplaying. They're passing a lot more at the line. They attack short sides really well. They flatten up.
"I think they've probably got a coaching group that really know what they stand for. To me, they have really good players. They have really good athletes. They just need that direction and guidance from a good coaching group. I think they're going to get that.
"I know they're going through tough times in the last few years but they're still going to have to go through them. But they'll get better."
While there have been a myriad of off-field issues in Wales, they have struggled badly to replace the golden generation from Gatland’s first spell in charge.
Of their final matchday squad from their most recent title-winning season, only six of that matchday 23 are in the 2026 squad.
And O’Connell says he understands how difficult that void is to fill.
"I was thinking this morning about some of the players that have left [Wales], the Sam Warburtons of this world, Justin Tipurics, Alan Wyn Jones. The influence they have around the playing group is absolutely massive.
"We've experienced it ourselves here with the likes of Johnny [Sexton], Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray going.
"Guys that, how they train and how they prepare and how they care about the team. The difference they make to everyone around them is phenomenal.
"So I'm sure a few of those leaders are going to begin to emerge now from them over the next few years.
"So I think they have what it takes to start getting better. We've seen it already. I don't think some of the results we've seen in the past from Wales are going to continue."
A win for Ireland on Friday would see them set up a Triple Crown decider with Scotland in the final round, while also keeping their slim championship hopes alive, at least until Saturday evening.
Considering how their championship started, a heavy defeat to France in Paris, a second place finish and a Triple Crown would represent a solid campaign for Andy Farrell's side, particularly if they match their performance levels from Twickenham across the next two weeks.
And while O'Connell (above) was delighted with the performance in the 42-21 win against England, O'Connell insists there are still areas that need to improve.
"I think at times we were under pressure at the start of the game but the lads dug in and stopped them scoring particularly when they were close to our line.
"That was really good for us but it's not something you want to be doing, spending that much time close to your line.
"I think our ability to get out of our own half, whether that is kicking the ball or whether that's attacking well, whatever it is, that's really important for us. I think we probably rode our luck a little bit at the start of the game and then when you're 10-0 up then the game changes.
"I think England only kicked 18 times which would be very little for them, so they had to change how they played.
"I think that's important, starting well so that you can get yourself into a position where the opposition have to change what they're going to do and you can continue what you're doing," he added.
Watch Ireland v Wales in the Six Nations on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to commentary on an extended Inside Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
