Ireland's rugby coach Declan Kidney has warned his team not to underestimate the resurgent Welsh at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Having lost the last two Cardiff matches Wales will want to even the score.

"They’re improving unfortunately, aren’t they?" Kidney told the press. "England is a difficult match to start with and it didn’t quite work out for them. But I think they’ve come on well. They started really strongly against Scotland, built up a lead and managed to hold the Scots at bay then."

"Certainly their defense has got even stronger. It’s quite an aggressive defence at the moment and that’s a big plus for them."

Ireland and Wales have the same championship record this season, having both lost their one home game to France and winning their two away fixtures in Italy and Scotland. Unfortunately Ireland also have have a high penalty count in common with Wales, a fact that Kidney want to fix this week.