On the latest episode of the Welsh Rugby Podcast this week, the boys were joined by Irish Mirror journalist Michael Scully to look ahead to Wales' first Rugby World Cup warm-up .

Joe Schmidt's men suffered a sobering 57-15 defeat to England at Twickenham in a blow to their World Cup preparations.

But where exactly are Ireland heading after that hammering?

Here's what Michael Scully said...

"I think most of us probably thought Ireland might lose by around 15 or 20 points because it was the first hit-out of the year for many players.

"They've been training hard and had come straight from the Algarve after a punishing eight-day training camp. I don't think there was huge expectations at all.

"Expectations were that England are further along the track than Ireland and it's all about peaking in four weeks time.

"But what unfolded was really not what people expected. This is Ireland against the old enemy. Players playing for their World Cup spots and places in the team.

"It's hard to note who turned up. You could maybe make a case for one or two. Suddenly, a lot of people are panicking about our chances going into Japan.

Listen to the full podcast below...

"Only a few short months ago, Ireland were being talked about as potential World Cup winners. It's been a huge dip in a short space of time and there's a lot of work to do in a short number of weeks.  

"2018 seems a long time ago.

"They had only lost once during the year, beaten the All Blacks and won a Grand Slam. Leinster had won the double. Joe Schmidt was named coach of the year and Johnny Sexton was player of the year.

"Things couldn't have gone any better and it was like where do you go from here?

"Schmidt has spent the last three and a half years trying to recover from the World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina in Cardiff, where he was missing a number of first-team squad members thanks to injury or suspension.

"So he's build a squad and the feeling was there was a robust squad there and if one guy was out, another came in.

"There was a nagging feeling about whether they could keep it going. Then came the Six Nations, where he tried a few things.

"For Schmidt, it's all about the World Cup. Ireland's history at the World Cup is littered with disappointment, regret and not getting beyond the quarter-finals. So Schmidt's final year is about succeeding in Japan.

Something's gone badly wrong for Ireland
Something's gone badly wrong for Ireland

"So you can excuse trying things in the Six Nations, but 2018 feels like a long time ago. Suddenly the bad performances are stacking up and you're wondering where the confidence, buoyancy and quality that was a hallmark of this team has gone.

"People do expect Ireland to make the quarter-final and that will be against New Zealand or South Africa. The way they were bullied against England doesn't bode well for facing either of those two. It's not a great place to be in at the moment."

Have Ireland been worked out tactically?

"England shut off Ireland's box-kicking game in the Six Nations and stopped it working. It was telling that in the warm-up against Italy, they didn't do one.

"It was a tactic that Ireland built their game around and it could be that teams have worked them out. It feels like they've moved away from that, but to what, we don't know.

"You have to take it with the proviso that Sexton hasn't been playing, Robbie Henshaw hasn't played, James Ryan hasn't either. There are players of world class quality that are yet to come back.

"But judging from Saturday and the end of the Six Nations, they do seem a little lost - which is amazing for a team under Schmidt, as he's known for his detail.

How to sign up to the Welsh Rugby Podcast

It's been another busy week in Welsh rugby and the Welsh Rugby Podcast is the best way of keeping up to date with it all.

Following on from episodes with Sam Warburton, James Hook and Sean Holley, there's a bumper World Cup preview episode and all the reaction to Rob Howley being sent home from Japan.

With three podcasts being recorded a week during the Rugby World Cup, subscribe below to never miss out on the latest episode.

Subscribe today!

Apple: https://apple.co/2UA707b

All other devices: https://bit.ly/2yDFD3l

"Everything is planned to a T and it's what he's built his reputation on. It's worrying that as he nears the end of his time in Ireland, it does seem a little bit like it's falling apart.

"Hopefully that isn't the case, but looking at current evidence, it's not looking good.

"There are plenty of teams hitting form at the right time and we're the ones who seem to be going backwards. That seems to be the way it goes for us in four year cycles, unfortunately.

"It was the case four years ago, and 2011. He haven't really timed it right and that's been the same story going back.

"We thought it was going to change this time. It's not looking good but here's still time. You can't give up hope yet!"