DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland kept their Six Nations grand slam bid firmly on track with another bonus point win on Saturday but conceding three tries for the second home game in a row gnawed at coach Joe Schmidt after the 37-27 win over Wales.
Ireland controlled 69 percent of possession, enjoyed even more territory and carried twice as much ball but still managed to let Wales back to within three points and chasing a late win before Jacob Stockdale ended the game with an intercepted try.
While doing so from a far more comfortable position in the 56-19 victory over Italy, Schmidt was nevertheless concerned that his side were again opened up out wide and became disjointed when they began to empty the bench on the hour mark.
"The most frustrating thing was at 27-13 that we didn't keep that margin or grow it, they worked their way back into the game with some defending that we know we can do better and I'm sure that we'll do better," Schmidt told a news conference.
"It was frustrating against Italy, it's frustrating again today, albeit with lots of positives about eight tries and five tries. What we are creating is keeping us safe from losses, but we've got to do better than conceding three tries two weekends in a row."
Schmidt said the personnel changes - he made four for Italy and five against Wales - did not help when combined with the introduction of fresh legs off the bench that left players making slightly different decisions and a bit disconnected.
While he was full of praise for three of the younger players who came in to start on Saturday - Six Nations rookies Andrew Porter, Chris Farrell and James Ryan - the New Zealander said his side had to sharpen up with the dangerous Scots up next.
"Obviously with the runners they have - the Stuart Hoggs, the Tommy Seymours and the like of Sean Maitland - very quick athletes, it's always a concern," Schmidt said.
"I think we helped them a little bit today. I think we can repair a lot of that over the next two weeks."
Schmidt's opposite number Warren Gatland, unable to mark his 100th game in charge of Wales with a victory that would have revived his side's Six Nations hopes, rued some early ill-discipline in acknowledging their championship was over.
"The game has been our own demise really, I'm disappointed with the number of penalties we gave away. Against Ireland, we spoke about the discipline and not allowing them opportunities to kick for touch and drive," Gatland said.
"What they're good at doing is squeezing sides and they squeezed us today."
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Toby Davis)
