Josh Adams feels honesty will be key to Wales bouncing back from Ireland defeat

Josh Adams says that tough conversations and honesty will be top of Wales’ agenda when they assess a sobering Guinness Six Nations defeat against Ireland.

And Wales have little time to turn things around following a 34-10 home loss, with resurgent Scotland awaiting them at Murrayfield next Saturday.

It is a ground where Wales have won on six of their last seven visits, but their Six Nations campaign is already approaching a crossroads.

Asked about the squad’s Monday review, Wales wing Adams said: “It will be honest, as it always is.

“It has to be as well, because if you don’t have tough conversations and you are not honest with each other then you are just papering over cracks.

“There is no getting better unless you are honest.

“The most important thing is he (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) will drive us, which he does brilliantly, to help us get better at the aspects which didn’t go as well (against Ireland). We definitely expect to be better next week.”

While Ireland march on to a potential title-shaping showdown with France in Dublin, Wales must lick their wounds and regroup.

They once again lived up to their reputation as often being notoriously slow starters in Six Nations or autumn campaigns.

And they will also head to Edinburgh without 156 times-capped lock Alun Wyn Jones, who is ruled out after failing a head injury assessment during the Ireland game.

Exeter forward Dafydd Jenkins is his likely replacement, while Gatland might also contemplate a place in Wales’ match-day 23 for Jenkins’ Chiefs colleague Christ Tshiunza.

“In the first 20 minutes, Ireland dominated us in every facet of the game,” Adams added.

“What were they? 20 points up? In international rugby, that is a mountain to climb, especially against a team like Ireland.

“The discipline will probably be mentioned a lot of times. It really let us down. It was nine penalties before half-time, and you keep a target of 10 in the whole game.

“Ireland are a really good example of a team that blast past the contact area, and that creates quick ball. That is something we can definitely get better at.

“We said after the game that it was disappointing, of course it is.

“But the feeling we had was we wish the game (Scotland) was sooner because we are all so eager to go and put that right.

“The disappointing thing is, in the first 20 minutes of any game, whoever you are playing, you expect to be in and fronting up in a close, tight contest.

“But they just blew us away in the first 20 minutes. That will be something we will look at, definitely get better at and try and improve.”