'It hurt so much and motivated me quite a bit'

With three Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams and a starring role in a British and Irish Lions tour, Wales legend Jamie Roberts built an impressive portfolio of memories before he hung up his boots in 2022.

It just so happened that one of his fondest and one of his most harrowing rugby experiences came against Ireland.

Although it is now 16 years on, his recollections of the 2009 Six Nations remain vivid. Then only 22 and a year into his international career, Roberts came off the bench in Wales' 17-15 loss to Ireland that sealed a first Irish Grand Slam in 61 years.

"I think the majority of my memories against Ireland have been bad," Roberts told the Ireland Rugby Social.

"The Slam game in Cardiff, ROG [Ronan O'Gara] hit a drop-goal in minute 77. It was a big moment in my career seeing another team parading the trophy around your stadium.

"It came early in my career. I was only 22 and I remember that and it hurt so much that it actually motivated me quite a bit. I was like, 'I never, ever want to feel that again' of an opposing team parading the trophy around your stadium."

Roberts, who retired in 2022, added: "It was a gut-wrenching feeling. Four years later we had that famous win against England to win the trophy and England were going for the Slam.

"There was half the squad that were involved in '09 and we were like 'we can't feel that feeling again'."

After the pain of 2009, Roberts enjoyed better days against Ireland, like the 2011 World Cup quarter-final win in Wellington and a dramatic 23-21 victory in Dublin the following year that sent Warren Gatland's side on their way to the Grand Slam.

That 2012 campaign represented an entirely different era for Wales.

Now, Wales are in the midst of a 14-game losing streak in the Six Nations that stretches back to March 2023.

But while Steve Tandy has so far been unable to transform the team's fortunes, Roberts is upbeat about the future on the back of an encouraging performance in the agonising loss to Scotland last time out.

"We've seen the way Wales are going to play moving forward, especially coming up to the World Cup next year," said Roberts, who won 94 caps for his country.

"A bit like the great Ireland sides of recent years, a lot of ball movement, running lines, decoy shape, quick ball and trying to go multi-phase. They showed some great stuff against Scotland and deserved to win it.

"The scalp is coming. It's just a question of when and if it's going to be in this tournament."

While Roberts is hoping for a shock Wales win in Friday's game in Dublin (20:10 GMT), he admits he was "blown away" by Ireland's resounding 42-21 win over England at Allianz Stadium a fortnight ago.

And as a former inside centre who started three Lions Tests, Roberts was especially impressed by Stuart McCloskey's performance at 12 for Ireland.

The 33-year-old Ulsterman has been one of Ireland's standout players this year and attracted much praise for his lung-busting efforts to stop Marcus Smith in the latter stages of a record Irish away win over England.

Roberts said he messaged McCloskey after the game to say "that is the best I've ever seen you play".

"Maybe he's reached that point of his career where you have a little think about your age and think 'I'm not going to be doing this for much longer.

"It triggers something in your mind that you go 'I need to work a little bit harder now' and take these opportunities. That performance at Twickenham, I've not seen a 12...his running ability, his offload ability, his passing ability, his game understanding, his defensive strength.

"It was near enough a perfect game from a 12 of that stature and I absolutely loved it. I'm delighted for him."