“We done all we could do” Sean O’Brien says. “It was important we came out and expressed ourselves.” They did just that and Wales are out of the reckoning for the championship now. It’s all down to England. Win by 26 points or more and the championship is England’s. Fail to win by that margin and Ireland will have retained the title for the first time in the competition’s history. Thanks for reading. How are your nerves? Scott Murray will be bringing you every piece of action from Twickenham. Bye!
FULL-TIME! Scotland 10-40 Ireland
80 min: Madigan takes his time over it but he misses to the left. And that’s the game. A record equalling win for Ireland over Scotland but is it enough for the championship?
79 min: One more minute, and one more attack. Murray chips it up to Bowe but it’s put out to touch. No matter, Ireland go back for a penalty. Madigan to go for the posts once Murray has made his way off for Reddan.
78 min: Ireland win a penalty on halfway for not releasing. O’Connell says: ‘The corner, let’s go lads!’ Madigan kicks it to the right side.
78 min: Something cliched about luck o’ the Irish!
76 min: Hogg goes over after a lovely flowing move. Scotland are celebrating but … Oh, what’s this?! Russell had picked Hogg out with the final pass but the referee moves the decision upstairs to the TMO to check if a) that pass was forward and b) if Hogg’s grounding was good. The replays show the pass is ok but Heaslip’s tackle as Hogg dived for the line forced the ball from the Scot’s hands and it is NO TRY! Knock-on, Ireland alleviate the pressure from the scrum.
74 min: Ireland are now 10 points clear of Wales and 26 in front of England. They look desperate to extend the gap further in the final stages. That try was O’Brien’s final act. Jordi Murphy is on for him.
TRY! Scotland 10-40 Ireland (O'Brien; conversion: Madigan)
72 min: Breathing space for Schmidt’s side! O’Brien throws a dummy to fool Fife and darts across the line. Madigan’s conversion is good.
71 min: For Scotland, Visser is back on, in place of Bennett who staggers off with an apparent concussion. For Ireland, Ian Madigan has replaced Sexton, who went down clutching his leg – perhaps a touch of hamstring knack against for the fly-half.
70 min: We are into the last 10 minutes! Do Ireland need another score? Can Scotland spoil it for them and keep Wales’ hopes alive into the England game? So many questions. We need some answers.
70 min: From it, Murray goes for the corner. And finds it. Tonks is on for Scotland, Scott comes off. And Scotland clear to Kearney when the lineout is taken.
68 min: Ireland have made 10 turnovers compared to Scotland’s three. Time for another uncontested scrum.
66 min: Murray, who had cleared from the scrum, has produced a sensational kick near halfway with the outside of his right boot to pen Scotland back in their own 22. In better news for the hosts, Cross has returned from his 10 minutes in the naughty chair. Beard still terrible, mind.
65 min: Ireland clear from the scrum.
63 min: A rare foray in to the Ireland 22 from Scotland but the visitors’ defending is superb and the pressure finally ends with Denton knocking-on.
PENALTY! Scotland 10-33 Ireland (Sexton)
62 min: Calm as you like. He puts this one over and Ireland are now ahead of Wales on PD – +56 to +53. Two changes in the Irish pack: Cronin on for Best, Henderson on for Toner.
60 min: An uncontested scrum ends with Fitzgerald breaking. Scotland are penalised AGAIN for not releasing. How can Sexton do with this one near the 10m line? How’s your heart rate, Jonny?
58 min: Bowe breaks but runs into a dead-end and tries a Harlem Globetrotters-esque pass behind his back but it fails to find O’Connell and Scotland recover the ball.
56 min: Geoff Cross is sin-binned on Scotland’s 10m line after being penalised for going in off his feet. Some might say he deserves 10 minutes out for possessing such horrid facial hair. Sexton puts this one wide. Nerves getting to the Ireland No10 after such a nerveless opening 50 minutes with the boot?
55 min: Ireland have produced more excitement in possession in 55 minutes here than what preceded them in this competition. Bowe has a chip but Russell cuts it out with the Ulsterman running on.
53 min: And Hamilton is penalised in that attack for leaving his hands in the ruck. Sexton’s kick is off the post! That’s his first miss from seven kicks at the posts. Swinson and Brown are on for Hamilton and Ford for the hosts, by the way. McGrath replaces Healy for Ireland.
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52 min: And Ireland, now level on PD with Wales but behind on tries scored, are right back on the attack again.
TRY! Scotland 10-30 Ireland (Payne; conversion: Sexton)
49 min: Henshaw makes a decent few yards following the lineout. Next phase Ireland get a strong maul rolling. Murray takes possession and runs it himself. Sexton then moves it to Payne following a tidy Kearney decoy. Payne breaks the Scottish line and scores his first try in his sixth international appearance right under the posts. The conversion is good.
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48 min: Ireland win a penalty from the scrum. “Difficult to play advantage here,” Garces says. Sexton kicks for touch.
47 min: Murray is back on and kicks after pulling the ball from a maul in the Ireland 22. Scotland fail to retain possession as Gray knocks on. Poor handling from someone usually so reliable.
46 min: Change in the Ireland front row as Moore comes on for Ross. Meanwhile Conor Murray is getting his wrist heavily strapped.
PENALTY! Scotland 10-23 Ireland (Sexton)
45 min: Right in front of the posts, Sexton puts it over. He could have done that with his eyes close. Ireland now eight points short of overtaking Wales.
44 min: Ireland go through nine phases but the ball pops out the side of a ruck. No matter, Ireland have a penalty after the Scots fail to roll away. Sexton will add an easy three points.
43 min: Denton penalised for not releasing and Sexton finds touch.
42 min: Heaslip and O’Connell make ground but after seven phases Scotland turn it over through Bennett and Hogg kicks down field and into Bowe’s hands.
41 min: Ireland get the ball from the restart and Sexton kicks towards Fife who screams ‘MARK!’ His kick ends in the hands of a green shirt and Ireland resume attack mode.
Peep!
40 min: Sexton restarts. Brace yourselves for 40 thrilling minutes.
The players are back out – can Ireland extend the gaps by the 11 points needed to overtake Wales? How are your nerves Irish fans? And how are you feeling Wales? And what are you thinking now, England supporters?
HALF-TIME! Scotland 10-20 Ireland
And that’s the interval. Ireland have put themselves in a good position to overtake Wales here, even if Russell’s try has kept Scotland in it.
40 min: Russell, fed by Laidlaw, chips to Hogg who is taken down by Murray and knocks on in the tackle. Two seconds left on the clock.
38 min: Hogg crosses the line and celebrates, under the impression he has scored a try. But he hasn’t heard Monsieur Garces’ whistle and play is pulled back for a scrum. From it, Ireland clear.
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PENALTY! Scotland 10-20 (Sexton)
34 min: A collapsing scrum results in a penalty for Ireland. O’Connell tells Sexton to go for the posts about 25m out. He swings it over with consummate ease.
31 min: But now Scotland’s other prop, Grant, is off injured. Alasdair Dickinson is on in his place.
TRY! Scotland 10-17 Ireland (Russell; conversion: Laidlaw)
30 min: Oh wow! Seymour makes a key break after good work from Hogg following Kearney’s failure to catch a grubber kick. Next phase after Seymour is halted sees Ashe feed Russell a couple of metres out and he is over for the try.
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28 min: Yes they can! Because the powerful O’Brien has broken two Scottish tackles. He is halted after a sizeable gain in yardage but finds Bowe, who is then taken down and his pass to nobody is intercepted by Hogg.
27 min: Now Ireland are only seven points off Wales. Can they keep this momentum going though?
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An email! From Batman in Tehran!
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TRY! Scotland 3-17 Ireland (O'Brien; conversion: Sexton)
24 min: And from that lineout, Toner takes it down and hands it off to O’Brien. The flanker spots a gap and races to the line past Fife’s poor tackle. Sexton’s conversion is good.
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23 min: Henshaw and Fitzgerald have been very good in this opening quarter. The former feeds the man to his left before being dragged into touch inside the Scottish 22. The clearance kick following the lineout is poor and Ireland will have one of their own on the 22.
22 min: Fife is back now the blood has stopped dripping from his nose.
20 min: Russell almost breaks Ireland’s defensive line but some more sustained pressure from the hosts but they are finally penalised for not releasing, allowing Sexton the opportunity to relieve the pressure and clear his lines.
19 min: From the restart, Payne is penalised for challenging in the air. Murrayfield boos but there is no card and the centre is lucky to stay on the pitch. Russell kicks the penalty to touch.
PENALTY! Scotland 3-10 Ireland (Laidlaw)
18 min: Ireland penalised for not rolling away on the 22. Right in front of the posts, Laidlaw puts it over. The hosts are off the mark.
16 min: A little better from Scotland but Ireland’s defence is strong and eventually they turn it over after half a dozen phases. Murray, once more, kicks towards halfway. Russell collects, he offloads to Visser and Scotland are back on the attack.
15 min: Scotland have a scrum five metres inside the 22 after the lineout produces a knock-on. Cross is on permanently now, by the way, because Murray’s nose is broken.
13 min: Scotland have a lineout near the Ireland 22. Denton pulls it down from the air but, again, their maul is held up. When it becomes a ruck, Laidlaw picks out Visser but he is dragged into touch.
11 min: Ireland take a mere few seconds to reach the Scottish 22 from the restart but the hosts have a penalty. As it stands Ireland are now 10 points off Wales. Meanwhile, a slight worry for Scotland with Murray and Fife down with bloodied faces, the former’s injury appears very nasty indeed. Visser and Cross are on temporarily.
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PENALTY! Scotland 0-10 Ireland (Sexton)
10 min: Sexton disects the posts.
8 min: The lineout is tidy and the resulting maul is dragged down by Scotland. The referee is playing advantage, allowing Sexton to kick towards Kearney but Hogg is on hand to claim and we will go back for the penalty.
6 min: Fitzgerald makes a break after the restart is claimed by Henshaw before Scotland turn it over just inside their own half. It’s kicked after a couple of phases and the ball drops right into Kearney’s hands before Murray kicks it back to the Scotland full-back, Stuart Hogg. However, Ireland are given a penalty after Fitzgerald was obstructed from challenging Hogg. Sexton kicks the penalty to touch …
TRY! Scotland 0-7 Ireland (O'Connell; conversion: Sexton)
5 min: And from that scrum Ireland have the first try! Murray fed Sexton who played a neat switch pass before finding Henshaw on the left flank. He is held about five metres from the line. There are 11 phases of relentless pressure before O’Connell makes the decisive break to the right of the posts. Jerome Garces, the referee, refers it to the TMO who says it’s good! The perfect start.
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3 min: Ashe takes it down but Ireland’s maul is strong and Scotland are held up and Laidlaw knocks-on. First scrum goes to Ireland.
2 min: Ireland turn it over after three phases of Scottish play. Henshaw chips forward, Bowe runs on but the ball hops into touch.
Peep!
1 min: The referee’s whistle blows and Scotland kick-off. Robbie Henshaw brings it down, Murray kicks …
Struggling to think which bunch of Irish players are most tuneless – Ireland’s rugby union team or football team? Answers on an electronic-postcard.
Here come the teams! The sun is shining in Edinburgh. There is dramatic music. And there are pyrotechnics.
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Well, well, well. Wales have won 61-20 in Rome! How are your nerves Ireland and England fans? Leonardo Sarto scored a try 30 seconds from the end for Italy to make your task a tad easier. Ireland need to win by 21 points to overtake Wales, England need to win by 17.
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Preamble and teams
The big question here is unlikely to be about the result but Ireland’s margin of victory. Can they rack up enough points to put sufficient pressure on England, who play France right after this? It has been a difficult week for Joe Schmidt’s team. Beaten by Wales last weekend, the head coach gave his team a day off midweek on the basis that once they reconvene, they would be 100% focused on this battle against their Celtic cousins.
“There was a bit of bite because the squad and players we have are very motivated and we want to win. There was a bit of a reaction from every player. There’s a sense we just want to get things right this weekend,” Conor Murray, the Ireland No9 who handed me a bottle of Lucozade 23 miles into last year’s Dublin marathon, said of their reaction to last weekend’s Cardiff defeat.
Beware Scotland, then! From their point of view, it would be convenient to forget about this championship once the final whistle blows at Murrayfield. Despite four defeats from four, Vern Cotter will be determined to break the heart of his former colleague and close friend Schmidt. It would, only the most ardent Scotland fan would refuse to admit, be quite the shock if they can keep them at bay.
Then again, Ireland have been defeated on their past two visits to Edinburgh – 12-8 in the 2013 Six Nations and 10-6 in a 2011 World Cup warm-up – and once the first lines of the brilliant Flower of Scotland are bellowed, they will know they are in for a fight.
The key for Ireland rests on how well they start. If they can get an early try and build momentum, they should be in a position to win this comfortably. Yet they have earned a reputation of being reluctant to take risks under Schmidt – can the shackles be shaken off? And how much pressure can they really place on top of Stuart Lancaster’s shoulders? We are about to find out.
Kick-off is 2.30pm in Edinburgh. The same time as in Dublin.
The teams!
Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Dougie Fife, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (c); Ryan Grant, Ross Ford, Euan Murray; Jim Hamilton, Jonny Gray; Adam Ashe, Blair Cowan, David Denton.
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Alasdair Dickinson, Geoff Cross, Tim Swinson, Rob Harley, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Greig Tonks, Tim Visser.
Ireland: Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Robbie Henshaw, Luke Fitzgerald; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Paul O’Connell (c); Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Felix Jones.
The officials!
Referee: Jerome Garces (Fr).
Touch judges: Pascal Gauzere (Fr), Federico Anselmi (Arg).
TMO: Graham Hughes (Eng).
