Steve Tandy’s side remain winless in this year’s competition and have lost 14 consecutive matches in the Six Nations Championship.
Bookmakers DragonBet make Wales 12/1 to win in a two-horse race and offer near even money with a huge 27-point start.
Irish pundits have mocked Wales on podcasts and the clash against Scotland next week is already billed as the Triple Crown decider.
Yet for Wales, there is a sense that performances are beginning to improve after a spirited display against Scotland last time out.
The challenge awaiting them, though is formidable. Ireland arrive at the Aviva Stadium buoyed by a stunning victory over England at Twickenham and still harbouring hopes of lifting the title, while Wales have not won in Dublin since 2012.
Tandy - in a policy that has not changed all tournament - believes the priority for his developing side is to continue moving forward rather than setting unrealistic targets against one of Europe’s most accomplished teams.
READ MORE: Steve Tandy Admits Wales' Targets Have not Changed Ahead of Ireland Test
“We are at the point where we can go there and be competitive,” says the Wales head coach.
“That’s where it is. If we are competitive and bring large parts of what we did against Scotland then I think we’ll be in the game to get the result we all want.
“But I think just because we’ve had one good performance, or a performance that probably stacked a lot of moments together, if we start thinking automatically we are going to get a win based on that, I don’t think that’s where we are on our journey.
“It’s going to be a different challenge. Last time we were away from home against England you look at the start we had [29-0 down at half-time].
“The emotional control going to Ireland is a different stress point for us but I think it is exciting and it will be a really good test for us in our development.”
READ MORE: Andy Farrell Insists Wales are not as Bad as the Statistics Suggest
Despite the ongoing losing run, there have been small reasons for encouragement across the Welsh game in recent weeks.
All four regional sides have produced improved results, while the Wales Under-20s have been well worth watching and recently claimed victory over Scotland.
Tandy believes developments like these are crucial as Wales attempt to rebuild depth and confidence throughout the national pathway.
One initiative he would like to see revived is the reintroduction of a national A team to help bridge the gap between regional rugby and full international duty.
READ MORE: Steve Tandy Opts for Pride Over Despair After Wales Defeat No.14
“I think it will definitely help and it’s something that we are looking into, because I think that does accelerate development,” he says.
“It will enhance us getting our group together more often because the size of the nation we are, then I think we could do that better than anyone.”
That broader focus on development underlines where Wales currently see themselves — a team still rebuilding but seeking to grow stronger through experience.
Tandy has made three alterations to the side that narrowly lost 26-23 to Scotland in Cardiff. Back-row forward James Botham replaces the injured Taine Plumtree, with Alex Mann shifting across to blindside flanker.
At fly-half, Dan Edwards returns to the starting line-up after Sam Costelow was ruled out through injury, while Ellis Mee regains his place on the wing ahead of Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
There is also a notable selection among the replacements, with uncapped 21-year-old Bath centre or wing Louie Hennessey poised to make his international debut if called upon.
“Louie was unfortunate not to get his opportunity in the autumn,” Tandy says.
“He had a bit of a bump on his hand at the start of this campaign, but the way he’s recovered and put performances in the training environment has been very impressive. He’s a big, athletic young man. Nothing fazes him.”
His potential introduction would represent another step in Wales’ attempt to broaden their options as they look toward the next World Cup cycle.
History, however, offers mixed comforts. Ireland and Wales will meet for the 137th time since their first encounter in 1882, with Wales holding a narrow advantage overall with 70 wins to Ireland’s 59, alongside seven draws.
Recent meetings, though, have been far less favourable for the visitors. Ireland have won the last four championship clashes and six of the last nine overall.
Wales’ last victory over Ireland came in 2021, while their most recent success in Dublin was the memorable 23-21 triumph in 2012.
The wider statistics underline the scale of Wales’ task. Tandy’s team have lost 23 of their past 25 Test matches since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with their only victories in that spell coming in two meetings with Japan.
Ireland, by contrast, began this year’s tournament with a heavy defeat to France in Paris but have since responded strongly.
A narrow win against Italy steadied the campaign before their emphatic 42-21 victory against England revived hopes of challenging for the title.
They remain in contention but require France to slip up in their remaining matches.
A win over Wales, though, would also keep alive the prospect of claiming the Triple Crown.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made five changes to the side that triumphed at Twickenham.
Jacob Stockdale replaces the injured James Lowe on the wing in the only alteration to the backline.
In the pack, Tom O’Toole and Rónan Kelleher come into the front row, while Jack Conan returns at blindside flanker with Tadhg Beirne moving into the second row.
Nick Timoney is selected at openside flanker, rewarded for his recent impact from the bench.
There are also several adjustments among the replacements, including the presence of Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak, who could earn his first international cap.
Ireland have been particularly effective at the breakdown during this championship, leading the competition with 13 jackals and 31 turnovers won so far.
Wales will again look to full-back Louis Rees-Zammit to spark their attack. He has already gained a championship-high 292 metres with ball in hand this season and remains one of their most dangerous counter-attacking threats.
Goal-kicking has also been a rare bright spot for Wales, who currently lead the tournament for accuracy from the tee with an 87.5 per cent success rate.
For Friday’s fixture, Wales will wear white jerseys, black shorts and white socks in order to assist spectators affected by colour vision deficiency.
Whether Dublin brings the shining vision of a long-awaited victory or simply another step forward in development remains to be seen.
What is clear from Tandy’s words is that Wales are not yet measuring success solely by results, but by whether they can simply feel reasonably good about themselves for two matches running.
Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Rob Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Tom O'Toole, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Michael Milne, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Nathan Doak, Tom Farrell, Ciarán Frawley.
Wales: Louis Rees-Zammit; Ellis Mee, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake (capt), Tomas Francis; Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter; Alex Mann, James Botham, Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Adam Beard, Olly Cracknell, Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans, Louie Hennessey.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli, Damian Schneider
TV Match Official: Andrew Jackson
Foul Play Review Officer (FPRO): Tual Trainini
