It is an ominous omen for Wales’s Six Nations title defence that there has been more said about the players not taking part than those who are. As Wayne Pivac’s team prepare for their tournament opener in Dublin, a clutch of important figures will remain on the wrong side of the Irish sea.

On the injury list are Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric, Ken Owens, Leigh Halfpenny, George North and Taulupe Faletau. If you include British and Irish Lions caps that’s a loss of 626 Tests’ worth of experience. As if to underline the spate of bad luck haunting his team, during his press conference on Thursday Pivac announced that young lock Christ Tshiunza had been ruled out of the competition with a hamstring injury. As such, not many people back the men in red to get a result on Saturday.

“I guess there is an obvious reason for that,” Pivac said. “Certainly the guys that are there we believe will represent us really well. Where we are with the bookies is the same position we were in last year. Everything to gain and nothing to lose. That’s the attitude.”

One player taking part who has garnered attention is Josh Adams. He has played on the wing in all 35 of his appearances for Wales but starts at 13 this weekend. And though he has played there before for the Cardiff Blues, and would have done so for Wales had he not picked up an injury before the match against Fiji last autumn, this is undoubtedly a major test of his abilities.

“We wouldn’t do it if we thought he couldn’t do a job,” Pivac said, pointing out North scored a try and put in a commanding shift from outside centre against Ireland in the last Six Nations. “It’s a position where you have to have a lot of pace these days, not only with the ball but also without the ball. [Adams] is strong in the contact areas and a good defender. So we’re excited to see him go. Hopefully the conditions are such that we can move the ball around.”

Pivac might live to regret that wish for clear skies. Ireland saunter into this contest like a triumphant gunslinger after a duel at high noon. A clean sweep of their autumn series included a 29-20 win over New Zealand that was heralded in many quarters as the greatest performance of Andy Farrell’s tenure. Before that, impressive wins at home to England and away to Scotland meant that were it not for a Peter O’Mahony red card inside 15 minutes in Cardiff, they may have had a shot at last year’s Six Nations themselves.

With the exception of debutant Mack Hansen on the wing, Farrell has named the same backline that beat the All Blacks. “He’s a smart rugby player,” Ireland’s head coach said of the Australian-born 23-year-old who has scored six tries from nine games since joining Connacht from the Brumbies last month.

“He makes things happen and knows how to get himself involved in the game. He’s got great feel. He’s got a good skill set across the board. The ones who do best hit the ground running and end up getting a good few caps. Mack has done that.”

Johnny Sexton captains the side in his 102nd game while Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki partner in midfield as Robbie Henshaw’s abductor muscle keeps him out of contention. Even so, Pivac’s claims about Adams’ defensive capabilities will surely be tested in that midfield channel.

If Ireland get the opportunity to dazzle with the ball it will be thanks to a formidable pack that know each other intimately. Tadhg Beirne is the standalone Munster representative in a sea of Leinster forwards that have served as a bedrock for the Dublin franchise that has lost just twice this season.