Six Nations 2024: Disrespectful to call Wales a ‘banana skin’ – Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony

Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony says calling Wales a “banana skin” is “disrespectful” as the sides prepare to meet in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Wales are underdogs on Saturday but O’Mahony is not underestimating them.

“I’ve learnt the hard way a good few times; these people are very, very proud and they grow massively when they pull on that red shirt,” he said.

“They’re a different animal, a different team and I’ve been on the receiving end of some heavy losses to these guys a few times.

“I think a banana skin is a disrespectful term for this Welsh team.”

O’Mahony, who succeeded Johnny Sexton as Irish captain, added: “There is transition but it’s the Welsh XV coming tomorrow [Saturday], it’s no-one else and I know from experience they’re an unbelievably proud nation and they play big and earn the jersey.

“That’s what we’ll 100% be expecting tomorrow.”

Writing in his column for the Daily Telegraph, Wales boss Warren Gatland said his side would target Irish full-back Ciaran Frawley, who is making his first Six Nations start in Hugo Keenan’s absence.

But O’Mahony, who will earn his 103rd cap on Saturday, says the Irish squad are comfortable with having targets on their backs, which naturally accompanies success.

“Look, that’s the game, isn’t it? We’ve a good record, we’re playing well,” said the Munster flanker, who returns to the Ireland line-up after missing the Italy game.

“We have spoken about it and we have a target on us but that comes with the territory and you have to be cool with that and that you are going to get the best of every team.

“We know when we’re good that we’re going to put teams under pressure and other teams know that now as well..

“As a result, we expect to get the best of every team and we have no doubt but that we’re going to get the best of Wales tomorrow.”

For Ireland, an 18th straight home win on Saturday would see Andy Farrell’s side match England’s record of 11 successive Six Nations wins.

But for O’Mahony, such numbers are ultimately “irrelevant” for a squad solely focused on backing up bonus-point wins over France and Italy.

“The routine is always there. At the end of the day [17 is] just a number, it’s irrelevant to us, it’s about the next performance and all those last ones have been put down through performances and playing well.

“If we are going to win that’s exactly what tomorrow will be about, playing well and putting in the performance.

“We don’t fall back on ‘because we’ve won here X amount of times means we’re going to win tomorrow’.

“That’s the furthest thing from the case. We’ll win tomorrow if we play well and we perform really well and we can stop a really good Welsh team from playing their best rugby.”