Right, afraid I can’t hang around long. But what a performance from Scotland. Hogg was enthralling, Laidlaw as cool-headed as they come and Gray, Wilson, Watson and the replacement Barclay all tackled their backsides off. When Ireland took the lead through the excellent Jackson the momentum all seemed to be with them and Scotland teams past would have folded. Hope springs eternal for them.
Anyway, enough of that. Join me at Twickenham for England v France now!
Full-time: Scotland 27-22 Ireland
As I mentioned below.
Penalty (Laidlaw 80) Scotland 27-22 Ireland
As Stuart Hogg is named man of the match, Laidlaw curls it through from wide on the left and Scotland have won on the opening weekend for only the second time in the Six Nations!
Updated
79 min Do not expect to see the ball again if Scotland can keep their discipline. Even better, in fact, as there are Irish hands in the ruck and Scotland get the penalty themselves! This time Laidlaw will go for the posts with less than a minute to go. He just needs to wait for the clock to go red and then kick it dead.
78 min Taken by Jonny Gray at the front but there is no momentum in the maul. Laidlaw looks to sneak round the blindside and gives it to Maitland but there’s nothing doing for him there. They go through the forwards now.
77 min Space out wide now and Dunbar is in space and arcs into it down the left. Henshaw comes across and gets him just below the shoulder. The angle means he can’t help but slip up to the head and the Murrayfield crowd is incensed, but it’s very much accidental. No yellow card says Poite and the Irish centre is slightly lucky. Now this is interesting: Russell sticks it in the corner.
76 min Hogg sees space and goes wide to Bennett, who chips deep into space. Murray fields the kindly bouncing ball and gives it to Zebo, who fires a very good clearance down the ground with no angle to work with. Back come the Scots.
75 min Knocked on by Stander but Laidlaw kicks it away and Kearney is able to field. That was a missed counterattack opportunity for Scotland. Oh but then Toner throws a pass into no man’s land and Henshaw is forced to scramble back and dive on it, 30 metres from his own line. Murray kicks it.
74 min Taken in by Jonny Gray inside his 22. Hogg launches a monster of a clearance down the middle and Kearney runs it back into the Scottish half before Zebo and Van der Flier take it down the blindside.
Penalty (Laidlaw 73) Scotland 24-22 Ireland
Slots it. Seven minutes to go.
72 min Right on the 22 Barclay takes it into contact and Jackson fails to roll away, conceding the penalty! Laidlaw, from 22 metres and just to the right, to retake the lead.
71 min Hogg boots the penalty down the left and into touch in the Irish half. Barclay wins it just outside the 22 but it’s scrappy and thus slow ball. Swinson then Fagerson carry inside.
“If Scotland win this I’ll invent a new cocktail just for Mr Dony,” writes Simon McMahon. “Let’s call it the Grand Slammer. Three parts whisky, two parts Italian vermouth, one part Benedictine, dash of bitters, ice, garnished with hope.”
70 min John Ryan, the Munster prop rather than the angry man who emails into the cricket OBOs, is on for Furlong. Ireland win the lineout and go right but Henshaw is well tackled by Ford. Van der Flier carries well over the gainline but the supporting forwards go off their feet and Scotland get a penalty.
69 min Cleared now by Hogg from deep and Bowe is safely under it 15 metres inside the Scotland half. Ringrose and Jackson combine nicely in midfield but then Kearney throws a pretty miserable pass straight into touch on the left. Scotland, to no one’s great surprise, go for the lineout.
@danlucas86 Hi Dan, thought you might be interested to know that between 2012 & 2016, Scotland conceded 23% of penalties in last 10 minutes.
— Accenture Rugby (@AccentureRugby) February 4, 2017
Thanks guys!
68 min Taken by Toner at the back, who gives it to Dillane but the big Ulsterman knocks on. Scotland will look to run it from deep.
Bowe on, Earls off.
67 min Murray clears and Russell takes only to be stripped by Van der Flier. He’s a very exciting, quick player and it could be that the more dynamic replacements will help Ireland see this out. It’s been a marvellous comeback from them and O’Brien and Jackson especially. Jackson chips towards the corner, Hogg fields and is dragged out by Earls.
66 min Turned over though in the 22 and Laidlaw boots it deep and into space. Zebo goes back and collects as a tired looking Seymour gives pursuit, and his clearance is deflected on its way into touch on the right, midway inside the Ireland half. Toner wins the lineout.
Strauss and O’Brien go off, Swinson and Van der Flier come on.
65 min A poor box kick goes to Seymour midway inside the Ireland half, but he’s turned over so Murray and Maitland exchange kicks. Murray then goes high and Hogg, leaping to take it, is taken out by his own man giving Ireland possession and good territory. Carried up towards the 22.
Dillane is on for Henderson.
Conversion (Jackson 64) Scotland 21-22 Ireland
A simple conversion gives Ireland the lead.
Try! (Jackson 62) Scotland 21-20 Ireland
After a series of drives they go to the backs and Ringrose gets Ireland on to the front foot. It’s recycle and Jackson goes through, Strauss bounces off him and the No10 stretches to touch it down.
Updated
61 min Taken by Toner but it goes to ground. Henshaw gathers the scrappy lineout ball and carries it up before they go left and through the phases. Furlong goes through low and gets up to within 15 before they reset. Again the inside centre hits the line from deep on the crash ball. They’re back outside the 22 but Heaslip makes ground against Russell.
60 min Ford goes long and Richie Gray takes the ball safely. Scotland look to make a bit of ground through the forwards, fail to do so and Russell has to kick from deep inside his in-goal area. It’s into touch for an Ireland lineout on the Scotland left, just inside the 22. Bennett replaces Huw Jones, who has made a couple of mistakes today.
59 min Now it’s Ireland’s turn to try and drive their way through Scotland, midway inside the home side’s half. Zebo slips through and gives it to Kearney, who surges down the right towards the line. Maitland comes back and makes a brilliant tackle, dragging the powerful full-back’s foot on to the touchline just as he gave it inside to Earls to touch down. What an effort!
57 min Barclay takes it in as Healy comes on for McGrath in the Ireland front row. Scotland are looking to bash Ireland out the way now and I’m not convinced that’s the most effective rout. Russell then looks to kick and it bounces off Murray, who turns and gathers it in space! He goes on a weaving diagonal run towards the middle and gives to Heaslip. Dunbar catches him and the No8 offloads out the tackle but Maitland has read it beautifully. Cleared to touch on the 10 metre line.
56 min Gordon Reid on for Dell, who has taken some punishment today. Russell, from his own 22 and centre-field, finds touch just inside his own half on the right.
55 min Now there is a gap and it’s caused by O’Brien’s bullocking run! Up to the 22 now and Ireland can sniff the lead. Back inside to Heaslip but he is smothered by Barclay. Screams of “Sir! Sir!” as it becomes evident that the Ireland No8 is holding on in the tackle and he’s penalised accordingly.
Updated
54 min Through the hands and Ringrose’s cute pass almost puts Earls through a gap! He’s scragged and Ireland have it a few metres inside the Scotland half.
54 min Slow show now from Scotland. Maybe a drop-goal? Glasgow should have gone for one from a similar position against Munster a couple of weeks ago. They don’t do it here and Stander wins the turnover.
53 min Richie Gray takes at the back and Laidlaw quickly sends it into the middle. Crashed up then the ball goes loose but into the hands of Hogg who wriggles away from Earls just outside the 22. Of course he wriggles away, he is a near impossible player to tackle.
52 min Best finds Toner and Murray box kicks clear out the back of the maul. Scotland lineout just outside the 22 on their right as Russell returns. Weir can be happy with his contribution.
51 min Up it goes from Laidlaw close to the left touchline and Maitland takes nicely on the 10 metre line. Scotland recycle and Weir spots space behind Zebo. He finds touch with a stunning cross-field kick to the corner that bounces an inch inside touch.
50 min Weir restarts as Scotland make another change, Barclay for Watson, who made 20 tackles in the match. Ireland kick the restart back and Hogg yet again nearly goes through down the right only to be scragged round the collar by Heaslip. They go left and Jones goes backwards aftter juggling it.
Conversion (Jackson 49) Scotland 21-15 Ireland
Jackson converts from the left comfortably.
Try! (Henderson 48) Scotland 21-13 Ireland
Murray snipes and is stopped just inches short. Scotland are short of tacklers around the fringes though and Henderson dives low and through Weir for the try. Well deserved that.
Updated
47 min Through the phases again, Best gets to within a couple of metres...
46 min The Scottish scrum will be stronger for having Ford in it but there is a danger of a penalty try or yellow card here, five metres from the line and right next to the posts. Scotland hold up well and Ireland’s scrum goes back so they go to the backs. Another penalty coming for offside against Jonny Gray.
Russell is going off for an HIA after a collision with Henshaw earlier. Duncan Weir replaces him for the next 13 minutes at least.
45 min Zebo knocks on out wide and we’ll go back for the penalty. It’s right under the posts but Ireland go for the scrum. They very much had the upper hand there in the first half.
Andy Byrne asks: “Admittedly, I’m not fully up to speed with modern-day rugby but when did 15 minute half-time breaks begin?” They’ve had them for two or three years now. I have no complaints.
44 min Up to with 10 metres now, left then back into the centre. Jackson switches and gives to Zebo in off his wing, but he is very well marshalled by Wilson. On they go and McGrath offloads out the tackle to Stander. Back into the middle and the penalty is coming for offside against Seymour. Ireland up to within five.
43 min Stander takes in the middle and Ireland set the driving maul. The Grays do very well to get stuck in and splinter it, so Ireland will drive through the forwards, who make ground.
This was wonderful.
42 min Ford for Brown is a permanent change by the way. Scotland go left but hold on under pressure from O’Brien and Ireland get a penalty. Jackson finds touch just inside the 22 on the right.
41 min No changes in terms of personnel at half-time as Jackson kicks deep to Watson in the 22. One phase, back to Hogg and into touch midway inside his own half. Massive though his boot is, he is kicking into the wind this half. Ireland’s lineout is a mess and Ford sweeps up at the back for Scotland.
The players are coming back out. How are your nerves, Scotland fans?
@DanLucas86 what I feared from Scotland. Decision to go for touch/tries instead of kicking for points being rued in dressing room I'd say.
— Brendan Dempsey (@brendempsey) February 4, 2017
The strange thing is how unimaginative Ireland have been in attack. They’ve pummelled away and you have to wonder how long Scotland can keep up tackling like this, but there has been so little behind the pack from the men in green.
Half-time correspondence
Robin Hazlehurst writes: “So a losing bonus from the Calcutta Cup, Ireland beat England in Dublin and the championship is Scotland’s. I wasn’t joking. Hear me now, believe me later.”
I know we always talk about each year being tighter @DanLucas86 but this game just illustrates that it's wide open. I can't bloody wait.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 4, 2017
Well that was some half. Scotland have been on the back foot for most of it but were monstrous in defence and lethal in attack. Enjoy your trip to New Zealand, Mr. Hogg.
Half-time: Scotland 21-8 Ireland
40 min Left now and for a moment it looks like Hogg is in but Heaslip just about stops him. Right they go but Russell’s final pass is intercepted by Zebo! He kicks ahead and races Seymour. The latter gets it inside his own 22 but Zebo gets him. The Scotland forwards scrabble back and a relieved Laidlaw puts it into touch.
Updated
39 min Taken by Wilson at the front and Scotland form the maul before Seymour comes off his wing and through the middle. Russell flings a huge pass wide to Hogg and it’s on to Maitland, who carries into the 22. Richie Gray drives through the middle and the forwards make more headway. Ireland manage to slow it down before Strauss smacks McGrath out the way.
38 min Hogg kicks to touch down the right, midway inside the Ireland half. Ireland look very short on ideas: I imagine a lot of people in Ireland are praying for Jonny Sexton right now. The tackle count is 84-37.
36 min Jackson finds touch on the left, around the Scotland 10 metre line. From that, Stander carries through the middle and makes ground before they go right. More phase play in midfield but then Earls goes into a ruck at the side and gives away a penalty.
“Cocktails on McMahon?” asks Matt Dony. I’m sure he’ll love you tempting fate like that.
35 min This time Murray does clear quickly, box kicking up to halfway whence Jones barrels through Ringrose. Right it goes after a couple of phases and Russell tries to step past Heaslip but he’s brought down, then Stander gets over the ball nicely and wins the penalty for holding on.
“It’s come early this year, Dan. The hope, that is. I can handle the despair etc etc,” writes Simon McMahon.
Penalty (Jackson 34) Scotland 21-8 Ireland
Unperturbed by the conditions, Jackson sends it straight through.
33 min Offside at the breakdown against Scotland. Ireland have a penalty 39 metres out, just to the left and Jackson will take on the wind and go for goal.
32 min This time Ireland’s backs come from deep and that gives Earls the momentum to get up to the 10 metre line before they switch back to the left. Ringrose makes more ground but this is slow build-up from Ireland. Kearney is smacked backwards by, I think, Watson. Murrayfield turns up the volume.
31 min Hogg clears down the middle and Jackson takes it on the bounce. He gives to Kearney who goes over halfway before being tackled by Gray. Left and Ringrose nearly drops it, but retains possession.
Conversion (Laidlaw 30) Scotland 21-5 Ireland
From the right-hand touchline, Laidlaw smacks a brilliant right-footed kick straight through. Well well well.
Try! (Dunbar 29) Scotland 19-5 Ireland
Oh dear! Alex Dunbar sneaks into the lineout near the front, Ford throws it flat above Laidlaw and the centre stretches to grab it and go over unchallenged. Ireland went to sleep there.
Updated
28 min Ireland try to be clever, popping it down the blindside down the restart but Kearney drops it into the hands of Seymour on the 22. Back inside they come, slow ball so Russell grubbers down the right for his wing to chase. Zebo slides back and slides it into touch. Five metre lineout to Scotland.
27 min From the left touchline, with the wind against him, Jackson’s kick drifts across the face of the posts. Seymour should have made that interception, by the way, as he got both hands on it.
Brown is off with a bloody nose again.
Try! (Earls 26) Scotland 14-5 Ireland
Sloooooww ball and Ireland have the advantage. They go left and Jackson, I think it was, sends out a long looping pass for Earls. Seymour goes for the interception and misses, allowing Earls to dive over in the corner!
Updated
25 min Ireland 10 metres out now. Heaslip and Furlong crash it up but can’t make ground so they go left. Earls tries to wriggle through but is stopped. Scotland’s defence taking a right old battering here as we go through 13, 14, 15, 16 phases...
Updated
24 min In fact it’s ruled that he dropped it forwards so Ireland get the scrum just outside the 22, on the left. This time there is no penalty so they go right. Henshaw bashes it up then Jackson makes a half break and is desperately dragged down by Watson.
Conversion (Laidlaw 23) Scotland 14-0 Ireland
Laidlaw curls it through. This is masterful efficiency from Scotland, who have barely had the ball.
Hogg promptly drops the restart backwards into touch.
Try! (Hogg 21) Scotland 12-0 Ireland
Actually it’s nowhere near the 22, more 15 metres inside the Ireland half. Quick ball and Strauss carries up the middle. Laidlaw gets it wide so quickly and Hogg’s pace has Kearney backpedalling. He dummies to give it to Seymour but goes himself and eludes Earls’ tackle to glide over. That was outstanding.
Updated
20 min Hogg clears with his left foot and Zebo takes the scuffed ball on the bounce, going over the 10 metre line. He holds on in the tackle though and Scotland get what I think is their first penalty. Hogg finds touch on the right, near the 22.
19 min Penalty to Ireland before Murray even feeds. Fagerson collapsing it this time; Laidlaw is told to give his men a talking to and, in response, asks Poite to keep an eye out for the early hit from Ireland. Jackson’s penalty is a beauty, finding touch 10 metres out, but Scotland nab the line-out for the second time.
18 min Scotland line-out five metres inside the Ireland half. Brown’s throw – Brown is back on – isn’t straight and Ireland have another scrum. “Wonderful” thinks the Scotland hooker.
17 min Eight metres or so inside the Scotland half, on the left, Ireland get quick ball off the top of the line-out and Zebo carries it up the middle, off his wing. Scotland are tackling like demons out there and Ryan Wilson wins turnover ball with a mighty tackle. Russell kicks deep into the 22, with the wind behind him, and Zebo returns to touch.
16 min Jackson’s chip is charged down and Ireland go back into their own half. Up it goes from Murray and Hogg claims very well. He’s very close to the touchline though – great work from Murray that – and the full-back is forced into touch.
15 min Out it comes and Dunbar runs it up the middle. Back it goes to Hogg and he clears 65 metres downfield to Kearney, who runs into Jonny Gray five metres inside the Scotland half.
14 min Scotland are under horrendous pressure on their own ball. They can’t get it out the back and they will be happy Poite calls for a reset.
@DanLucas86 Ireland have the experience & a Power Packed Pack 2 make Big Vern's men tackle like there's no tomorrow. Close, Ireland 2 win
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) February 4, 2017
13 min Ireland have another penalty: either it’s for Jonny Gray bringing the maul down or Laidlaw going offside. Take your pick, Ireland. Back to the corner they go and Toner takes it. Another maul but Romain Poite awards a scrum to the backpedalling Scots. Hmm, not sure about that: it’s for accidental offside as the maul splintered. Not sure how much of an advantage the scrum is for Scotland either.
12 min O’Brien breaks the line and breaks one tackle before being brought down. Wilson goes off his feet and it’s an Ireland penalty on the left. Jackson declines the points and knocks it into the corner. Ireland can play to their old strengths here.
11 min From the restart, Laidlaw clears and Ireland carry it back up to the 10 metre line with the back rows plugging away. Left it goes and Ringrose carries it forward before giving it wide to Zebo. Up to the Scotland 22 for the first time.
Conversion (Laidlaw 10) Scotland 7-0 Ireland
It’s windy and it’s wide-ish on the right, but Laidlaw’s kick swirls in the wind and goes through. Simple Minds ring out around the ground, which is pleasing.
Try! (Hogg 9) Scotland 5-0 Ireland
Wide it goes, Dunbar’s pass isn’t great but Ringrose misses the interception and it goes to Hogg on the bounce. He’s got a clear run to the line from eight metres and over he goes on the right!
Updated
8 min Now they go through the hands on the short side, Hogg then Seymour wriggling though. Back inside and Strauss drives, just a metre out! Richie Gray drives, again just short so they go to the backs...
7 min Taken at the back by Wilson and Scotland form the maul before Watson pops short to Maitland. Quickly it goes right and Jones is stopped on the 22.
6 min Jackson goes to touch near the Scotland 10 metre line on the left. Groundhog day was Tuesday, right? Jonny Gray pinches this one though and Hamish Watson carries up to halfway before they quickly go wide, via Hogg to Maitland and into Irish territory. Russell kicks towards the corner but it’s gone to Earls on the bounce. He slices his clearance and now Scotland have a chance.
Updated
5 min Blood replacement early on as Brown has taken a smack in the nose. On comes the veteran Ross Ford with a nice juicy scrum to get stuck into. He does not enjoy it as Dell pops out again and concedes the penalty.
4 min Stander carries back up to the 10 metre line on the right but eventually it’s knocked on and Scotland counter, as Laidlaw goes wide with the defence scattered. Maitland carries it on and they go back right, only for Jones to knock on. It’s another scrum in almost exactly the same place as the last one.
3 min Ireland get the penalty as Alan Dell stands up under pressure. It took a while but Ireland with the clear advantage there. Jackson finds touch on the Ireland left and on the Scotland 10 metre line. Toner takes and Murray goes short to O’Brien, who is hammered back by Fraser Brown.
2 min It’s knocked on by Richie Gray at the front of the lineout and we’ll have the first scrum. Big test for Zander Fagerson, who is in my fantasy Six Nations team.
Here we go!
Peeeeep! Romain Poite blows his whistle and Finn Russell gets things going with a long kick to Zebo, who is tackled by Dell on the left of his 22. Back to Rob Kearney and he booms a clearance into touch midway inside his own half on the left. Good start for Scotland.
Quickly, tweets:
@DanLucas86 it's been hard on Mads. His 'retirement' to France a smart move. Sextons a hard shadow' Jacksons well able to stand out from it.
— Brendan Dempsey (@brendempsey) February 4, 2017
.@DanLucas86 #SCOvIRE #SixNations live. I predict Scotland win title. I also thought Trump wouldn't win election. https://t.co/ybLAEegkIj
— Martin Pengelly (@MartinPengelly) February 4, 2017
Anthems time
For whatever reason – possibly the volume on my TV – they never sound the loudest at Murrayfield. Once the bagpipes mercifully drop out, Flower of Scotland still sounds wonderful.
In the meantime, here’s Simon McMahon: “Afternoon Dan. Head says Ireland by 9, heart says Scotland by 3. COME ON SCOTLAND!!!”
Ireland by six I reckon.
Some sad news
Joost van der Westhuizen, the great South African scrum-half, is reported to be in critical condition in hospital. Thoughts are with him.
Quiz! Er, I only got 9.
Or, for a more in-depth read, Rob Kitson talked to the utterly brilliant Jonny Gray. He* didn’t miss a single tackle in Test rugby last year and, I believe, has only missed six in his entire international career.
*Jonny Gray, not Rob Kitson.
Is there more pressure on Conor Murray? “I hope not,” says Joe Schmidt. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can kick and we have a lot of confidence in Paddy Jackson.”
“Yippeeeee” is the subject line for this email – the first of the championship! – from Robin Hazlehurst. “Ridiculously excited about this six nations, obviously (and equally obviously, just off to the pub). Is it fair to call this game the championship decider and the second game today the third-fourth play off? Ireland are obviously massive favourites for the tournament, each match, the slam, etc, and I’m sure they’ll play better with that monkey on their back. Can’t wait for this!”
I suspect Robin’s tongue is planted firmly in his pint cheek. But then again, Mike Aylwin reckons Scotland are going to win the whole damn thing so who knows?
Elsewhere.
It's FT here in Exeter and England U20s have got their Six Nations campaign off to a flying start🌹 Full report: https://t.co/tIKYZ7PTOQ pic.twitter.com/unIeAysHAM
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 4, 2017
On the teams, then.
@DanLucas86 greetings from Ghana. Think you're right about it being tight. Hope ringrose-Henshaw axis will run in a few. Jackson to do well.
— Brendan Dempsey (@brendempsey) February 4, 2017
Greetings, Brendan. It’s a hell of an exciting partnership isn’t it? Ringrose has been mentioned for a while now and it’s fantastic that he’s come through and established his place in the team. Personally I reckon CJ Stander is going to be the player of the tournament: his tackling is something else and, most importantly, he’s made sure Ireland haven’t missed the great Peter O’Mahoney a bit. Fly-half is a worry as the drop-off in playmaking ability from Sexton and Carberry to Jackson and Keatley is a steep one – although one person here in the office expressed their relief Madigan isn’t playing, so there’s that.
As for Scotland, Jones and Dunbar are going to be busy, you expect so it’ll be a great test of the former especially. The back row, too, is a fairly unfamiliar looking one. On the plus side, Russell can demolish a team as easily as he can wreck his own. Their back three are arguably the best in the competition though.
On the new tackle directives
Which are not new laws. Wayne Barnes is on the telly explaining them to Jerry Guscott with various examples. It’s a fairly simple directive to be honest: don’t go for the head.
Preamble
Afternoon folks. It’s back! It’s that time of year when we get excited after watching some excellent rugby in the autumn and in the final two rounds of the European Cup. A time rich with promise, with intrigue and with high hopes. And then, in two days’ time, it all feels a bit of a damp squib of an opener. It is the Six Nations.
It is apt then, that we kick off the 2017 championship in Scotland. Once again they looked good in the autumn, picking up a very good win over Argentina and suffering another late defeat after giving Australia a scare. They play with as much verve and attacking intent as anyone in the northern hemisphere but, for whatever reason, tend to regress in February.
This time though things really could be different. The new tackle rules will have a positive impact, as will bonus points (albeit a negligible one, if you want to know what I reckon). There are Lions places up for grabs and this is the last chance for rankings points before the World Cup draw. More importantly though, there is the sense that the Six Nations teams now know that you are unlikely to beat anyone in this championship, poor old Italy aside, with 18 points from the boot.
We have seen a more expansive game from all five of the title contenders, to varying extents. France countered beautifully in defeat to the All Blacks, Wales have ditched Jamie Roberts and Warrenball, England are Eddie’s England and Ireland are no longer the dull, Conor Murray box-kick heavy, set-piece bores of a couple of years ago. Thank god. Johnny Sexton and Joey Carberry are both injured, which will hamper them today, but they have a very exciting young squad.
Both Irish and Scottish teams have enjoyed excellent Champions Cups. Glasgow have surprised everyone who hasn’t bothered to watch them in the Pro12 by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time. They have the confidence to take the ball into contact standing up and they have the skill levels to offload to hand and keep the tempo up, leaving defences in tatters and pedalling backwards. And there are 13 Warriors* in the Scotland squad today: it’s not just the tournament on the whole that might deliver on its promise this time.
As for Ireland, Munster and Leinster tore through their groups. Munster’s run was too long and too good to be put down to pure emotion and, although Leinster had a fairly easy pool, they came through it emphatically, reducing Northampton and Montpellier to smithereens along the way. Both will have their eyes on the big prize once the Six Nations is over and done with.
There are very few matches this year you would be confident of calling either way and, being at Murrayfield, this is arguably the hardest of the lot. I’d plump for a narrow Ireland victory but only because I’ve backed them for the grand slam, so it wouldn’t really work if I didn’t.
Kick-off is at 2.25pm GMT. Here are your teams:
Scotland
15-Stuart Hogg; 14-Sean Maitland, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Alex Dunbar, 11-Tommy Seymour; 10-Finn Russell, 9-Greig Laidlaw (capt); 1-Allan Dell, 2-Fraser Brown, 3-Zander Fagerson, 4-Richie Gray, 5-Jonny Gray, 6-Ryan Wilson, 7-Hamish Watson, 8-Josh Strauss
Replacements: 16-Ross Ford, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Simon Berghan, 19-Tim Swinson, 20-John Barclay, 21-Ali Price, 22-Duncan Weir, 23-Mark Bennett
Ireland
15-Rob Kearney; 14-Keith Earls, 13-Robbie Henshaw, 12-Garry Ringrose, 11-Simon Zebo; 10-Paddy Jackson, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Jack McGrath, 2-Rory Best (captain), 3-Tadhg Furlong, 4-Iain Henderson, 5-Devin Toner, 6-CJ Stander, 7-Sean O’Brien, 8-Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: 16-Niall Scannell, 17-Cian Healy, 18-John Ryan, 19-Ultan Dillane, 20-Josh van der Flier, 21-Kieran Marmion, 22-Ian Keatley, 23-Tommy Bowe.
*It’s come to my attention some of you aren’t really into club rugby at all. This is Glasgow’s nickname; I’m not going all Braveheart and cheesy or anything.
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