DRAGONS flanker Aaron Wainwright says Wales won't be shaken from their desire to play daring rugby despite misfiring in Dublin.

The Six Nations champions suffered a blow in the defence of their crown when comprehensively beaten 24-12 by Ireland.

Boss Wayne Pivac is expected to make Wales easier on the eye after succeeding Warren Gatland but was unhappy with the attacking display at the Aviva Stadium.

"We turned the ball over eight times through handling, that's unacceptable at this level of the game," the New Zealander.

Wales, who offloaded 13 times, won't go into their shells and if the players can't produce the goods then it's inevitable that Pivac will hand others a chance.

South Wales Argus:

"That's what we want to play - open and expansive rugby," said Wainwright, who won his 19th cap in Dublin after joining forces with Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in the back row.

"At times it worked for us, it's just knowing when to give the offload and making sure that final pass is there."

The loss in Dublin was Wales' first in the tournament since their last trip to the Aviva Stadium in the 2018 tournament.

It was also a first disappointment in the Six Nations for Wainwright but the Dragons back rower is confident that they can respond on their return to Cardiff a week on Saturday.

"I don't think that there are a lot of major things that need tweaking, just a couple of minor things and we will be firing and ready for France," he said.

"Ireland did very well to slow the ball down and that is something that killed us a little bit.

"Our efficiency to clear them out and get fast ball for our 9s was something that we struggled with, but it's just minor tweaks for us."

South Wales Argus:

It was only at the death that Irish number eight CJ Stander, who was a pain all afternoon, was yellow-carded for offences at the breakdown.

"That what they did well," said Wainwright. "They were getting away with it and there's nothing that we could have done about that, it's just how we combat that as a back row ourselves and look to stop them getting over the ball and slowing it down."

Wainwright is under pressure for his starting spot after a pair of lively cameos off the bench from Dragons teammate Ross Moriarty.

The Six Nations takes a break this weekend but Pivac's England and France-based contingent must return to their clubs.

The squad contains Saracens full-back Liam Williams, Leicester winger Jonah Holmes, Gloucester winger Louis Rees-Zammit, Saracens centre Nick Tompkins, Gloucester , playmaker Owen Williams, Northampton fly-half Dan Biggar,Toulon scrum-half Rhys Webb, Saracens loosehead Rhys Carre, Sale tighthead WillGriff John, Wasps lock Will Rowlands and Bath number eight Faletau.

The management are also likely to release a handful of players for regional game time in the Guinness PRO14 with the Dragons set to profit from the availability of Taine Basham against Benetton in Newport on Saturday.

The uncapped dynamic back row forward was called up to the Six Nations squad because of Josh Navidi's hamstring injury but the 20-year-old from Talywain is behind Wainwright, Moriarty, Tipuric, Faletau and Aaron Shingler in the pecking order.

It is highly unlikely that Wainwright, Moriarty or tighthead Leon Brown, who has backed up Dillon Lewis in the first two rounds, will be available for the Rodney Parade fixture.

Hooker Elliot Dee (calf) and lock/flanker Cory Hill (hamstring) face fitness battles to face France.