He made his debut at the old Lansdowne Road ground in 2003 in a World Cup warm-up match and then won his 50th cap there nine years later.
His debut was as a replacement in a 35-12 defeat, but in 2012 he started in the first game in Wales’ march to another Grand Slam when a 79th minute Leigh Halfpenny penalty earned the visitors a 17-15 victory.
That came on top of a defeat at Croke Park in 2010 and a notable World Cup quarter-final victory in Wellington, New Zealand. It means he knows all about what it takes to beat a team chasing back-to-back Grand Slams after successive wins over France and Italy in the opening rounds of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations.
Huw Bennett celebrates his 50th cap after Wales’ last Championship win in Dublin in 2012
That win in 2012 was the last time Wales won a Championship match at the now Aviva Stadium – they won a World Cup warm-up fixture in 2015 – and they return to the Irish capital next week.
“Ireland are well up there at the minute in the way they are playing. Everyone is aware of how very strong they currently are,” said Bennett.
“They have got an established group physically, and they haven’t won 18 games out of 19 for no reason. We know the challenge that is coming up for us, but every game for this group has been a challenge and a chance to prove themselves.
“You have got to go out there and be ruthless. You have to really back your game-plan, with an insight to play some rugby.
“We have got to be on top of our game in terms of trying to close them down given what they possess in their attack.
“I know it sounds pretty straightforward, but it’s about giving as few opportunities to the opposition as you can. You can’t be giving away penalties and easy outs, and I’m sure that will be a big focus for us.
“It’s about playing for the full 80 minutes. If you switch off in an area of the game, you get punished.”
Wales have been within touching victory of both games to date, losing at home to Scotland by a single point and then by two points against England at Twickenham.
“We’re a new group looking to improve. We want to give as many experiences to the younger players as we can,” added Bennett.
“Being only three points away from potentially two wins you can’t help but be frustrated. But given how we set-out from Day 1, in terms of exposing players to international rugby, we’re happy with what we’ve done so far.
“We are in a good place and the young players we’ve brought in have really fronted up so far and shown there is plenty to get exceed about in Welsh rugby going forward.
“Nobody within the group feels happy or content in losing a game and as our captain, Dafydd Jenkins, has been saying we can’t keep going about how young we are – if you are good enough you are here to represent your country.”
