Thanks for following today’s action. It will be very interesting to see how the teams fare against each other next weekend, doubtless with plenty more familar names being selected by both Schmidt and Gatland as the Rugby World Cup looms ever closer. We’ll see you next time – bye!

Here is Paul Rees’ report from Cardiff:

The All Blacks are back on top of rugby’s world rankings after that narrow defeat for Wales. Warren Gatland probably shows very little interest in those rankings, but regardless, it was evidence of the impact he has had since taking charge that Wales went into that match as the top-ranked team in the world.

Ireland meanwhile did look more energetic and dynamic than they have done for a while. Before the match Schmidt said he knew the players were suffering from a bit of fatigue against England and he insisted they would be much better today. He was proved absolutely correct by that display and his squad will no doubt enjoy training a little more in the coming week as they prepare to face Wales again in their final warm-up match before heading for Japan.

Ex-Ireland scrum-half Peter Stringer: “Carty performed very well ... Will Addison did very well in the first 20 minutes. Carty was varying his game, passing, running, kicking and he’s got great vision...The whole team were really up for it and defensively they were spot on.”

Sam Warburton on Rhys Patchell: “I was hoping he was going to get some game time and he changed the game massively. What you don’t see on TV is when he’s co-ordinating the back line. I thought he really did change the game, and for me, it would have cemented his place on the plane.”

The IRFU congratulate Jack Carty on an impressive display at the Principality Stadium today:

Man of the match Carty speaking to Channel 4: “Our defence for most of that game was really, really good against a quality Welsh outfit … at times we could have held on to the ball a bit better bit but credit to the lads who came on, they gave us a great platform.”

79 min: Into the final minute, and Ireland have the put-in at a scrum after a super tackle by Ringrose forced a Welsh handling error on halfway.

77 min: Wales, of course, are currently ranked number one in the world but defeat here would see the All Blacks retake top spot.

73 min: Wales storm down to the other end after the disallowed try, and win the put-in at a scrum under the Irish posts. A try here and we will have a thrilling finish.

71 min: Disallowed try for Ireland. Ireland’s Bundee Aki takes James Davies in the air, Ringrose mops up the ball and crosses in the corner, but linesman Jérôme Garcès tells Poite to consult the replay and the try is duly ruled out. Loud boos ring around the stadium after the replay, but no yellow card is forthcoming. That try would have settled it.

69 min: Wales prop Leon Brown is penalised again at the scrum. Factor in his earlier yellow card, and it’s fair to say he probably hasn’t furthered his case for inclusion in that final 31-man squad tomorrow.

67 min: A quality kick to the corner gives Wales an attacking line-out a couple of metres out. Luke McGrath then pulls off an excellent try-saving tackle on Elliot Dee. Ireland are under sustained pressure for the first time in the match.

66 min: Wales pour forward again. Patchell is pulling the strings having made a big impact since his introduction. This is what the home fans came for today and they still have more than 10 minutes to mount a recovery. One feature of the Gatland era has been a immense level of fitness throughout the squad. If they finish strong, maybe they can turn this around.

61 min: Ireland’s Luke McGrath comes on for Kieran Marmion, a couple of minutes after Addison was replaced by Ringrose. Rory Best is on for Ireland too, as well as Devin Toner and Tadhg Furlong. Not a bad few players to come on and close this match out. Meanwhile Wales are back up to 15.

60 min: At least the penalty try relieved the pressure for Wales. They thunder down to the other end after the restart, and nearly shove a rolling maul over for their first try of the match. But Ireland hold firm.

55 min: Attacking scrum for Ireland against 14-man Wales. Addison tries a cute little grubber kick to the corner, and doesn’t get it right, but Poite takes it back for another penalty to Ireland. Wales are under relentless pressure, their scrum is being dominated, and Joe Schmidt is probably pondering that 80 minutes is a long time in rugby.

Actually I wasn’t. But now you mention it ...

53 min: Ireland are across in the corner but it’s a forward pass. They are knocking on the door, though, and Wales need to find something from somewhere. I have no idea where.

50 min: Gatland has changed it up already. Tomos Williams comes on for Wales in place of Aled Davies, while Jake Ball comes in for Bradley Davies, and Jonah Holmes replaces Steff Evans.

49 min: Aki again motors into contact and makes headway near the Welsh try line. Ireland spin the ball wide, and a try looks the most likely outcome, but Wales gather their defence impressively and keep making those hits, eventually bringing a knock-on. Another try for Ireland and it would surely be too much ground for Wales to make up?

46 min: Wales are penalised for collapsing a scrum. After a much better start, they’ve surrendered the advantage again, as Ireland kick for the corner.

44 min: A better start for the hosts, with a bright attack down the right wing straight from kick-off. Can they find a way back into this and give Warren Gatland a happy send-off from Cardiff?

Wales hooker Ken Owens assesses the first half, speaking to Channel 4: “The boys look a bit rusty ... there are some nerves, some of the boys are too eager to impress. When we have held on to the ball, we have won a couple of penalties, and put Ireland under pressure ... [Gatland] had been a wonderful servant, hopefully we can send him off with a nice victory in Cardiff.”

Wales missed 20 tackles in the first half. Ireland missed four. That tells you quite a bit about how much better Ireland were in the first half.

Feel free to get in touch with me with any thoughts on the match - on Twitter or indeed on email.

36 min: A super off-load by Kilcoyne in midfield sends Aki charging through into the Wales 22. Ireland are at it again, asking plenty of questions of this home defence. Another try before half-time would probably reflect their superiority.

34min: Safe to say that if this was meant to be a final victory in Cardiff for Warren Gatland, Ireland have not read the script. As we said before kick-off, Joe Schmidt’s team do still have time to hit form before the World Cup. They have wasted no time here and this experimental team looks a step ahead of Wales at the moment.

27 min: Ireland’s No 8 is penalised for off side right in front of the posts. Evans pulls a simple penalty to the left and the score stays at 10-3 to Ireland.

23 min: What’s going on here? We’ve got a streaker, or at least a pitch invader. Romain Poite delays a line-out while the stewards demonstrate their rugby skills - probably too late for them to make the plane to Japan.

14 min: Jarrod Evans puts an excellent kick over Stockdale’s head, out wide. It is superbly weighted for his right-winger but in the end it comes to nothing as the visitors scramble their defence.

13 min: Considering the amount of changes made by both sides, it is hardly surprising that neither Wales nor Ireland have begun this match especially fluently. It’s a bit nervy.

5 min: An attacking scrum for Wales is reset, and they make ground with a big shove at the second time of asking. Good defensive shape under pressure by Ireland, though, now brings their own put-in at a scrum.

2min: “Pressure, pressure, pressure,” shouts a Wales defender after Ireland secure possession from the kick-off. But after a good kick for touch by Ireland, Wales lose a line-out just inside their own half. Jarrod Evans, making his first start for the hosts, chases a good Will Addison kick to the corner, and tidies it up impressively.

Time for the anthems - and doubtless, that moment of personal reflection that Gatland spoke about before the match. He doesn’t need a successful Rugby World Cup to secure his legacy or his reputation - but it would certainly be a nice way to go out.

Co-commentator Jamie Heaslip: “For Ireland, this is a game they need to win more than Wales. They are at an all-time low in terms of confidence.” It might be a warm-up, but this is a huge day for both teams.

We are 10 minutes away from kick-off at the Principality Stadium. Sam Warburton, on pundit duty, believes Ireland will be ‘100% better” than last week against England. It’s interesting to hear Schmidt say he deliberately made his players fatigued against England. It seems a risky game to play in terms of keeping morale up ahead of the World Cup. But if it helps them perform in Japan, he is a genius ...

How have Ireland spent the past week of training, Channel 4 ask Ireland coach Joe Schmidt: “I think we’ve just freshened guys up,” he replies. “We have some games with a five-six day turnaround ... guys were a little bit fatigued going into the game [against England] last week because that will be the reality at the World Cup ... some of these players don’t get to go [to Japan] unless there is a big performance today. Hopefully you’ll see a much better performance on the back of being fresher and a lot more focused.”

Thanks to Ireland fan John McEnerney for getting in touch on Twitter:

“Happy to see James Ryan back in the XV,” John says. “We need a super mega massive performance today regardless of the opposition No1 ranking...its not their best XV. Peter O’M will rally his troops from the back of the scrum no better buachaill to do it.”

‘buachaill’ means boy, by the way.

A tweak to the Wales replacements: Moriarty out, Wainwright in:

Gatland: “The players know how important today is. They know a really good performance might get them on the plane to Japan.” Enough said.

Prop Rhys Carre and wing Owen Lane both make their international debuts for Wales today in a side captained by Josh Navidi. Fly-half Jarrod Evans makes his first start.

Lots of relatively unfamiliar faces for Ireland, too: It will be interesting to see how English-born Will Addison does at full-back, while Jack Carty of Connacht starts at No 10 alongside his provincial half-back colleague Kieran Marmion at scrum-half.

“Irish eyes aren’t smiling,” says Channel 4’s Lee McKenzie in her intro, referring to Ireland’s recent poor form. At least we’ve got it out of the way early.

Gatland is understandably keen to focus on performance and his World Cup squad selection, but there is no doubt that Wales fans want to take the chance to thank Gatland today:

In a pre-match press conference, Gatland played down the significance of today being his final match as coach in Cardiff.

“It will be quite emotional,” he said. “I’ve had an unbelievable time here in Wales, and the people I think have made my time here incredibly special.

“It’s not about me, there are 31 players who will be selected on Sunday...There is no way I want to overshadow what is probably more important for those individuals than me having the last game in the stadium. I will have a personal reflection, and reflect on how memorable that’s been, without making a big fuss about it.”