Ciarán Kennedy Reports from Aviva Stadium

THE FIRST ACT of Super Saturday lived up to the billing. Well, not if you’re Scottish, or French and of a nervous disposition.

Ireland are, at least for a few hours, top of the Six Nations table, praying on a favour from the English. Our old pals the English. We’ve always liked those lads. To paraphrase the great Mick Byrne: ‘Do them for us today, lads.’

If events in Paris tonight take an unexpected and delightful turn, Scotland will sit wondering what might have been. This was their chance to finally make history, but the very prospect of that happening had all but evaporated by half-time in Dublin. A scoreline of 19-7 ensured, factually, they were very much still in it, but the gap felt far greater than that displayed in the black and white of a scoreboard.

This was one of those days, like Twickenham last month, where Ireland were not going to be stopped. Whatever happens later, to win today with such conviction will be a deeply pleasing finish to a championship that had started so ominously. The Ireland that took to the pitch just before 2pm this afternoon would put a score on the Ireland that shuffled through opening night at the Stade de France.

Last year Ireland faded as the Six Nations progressed. This time, they’ve grown from a slow start to suggest there’s life in the old dogs yet, and plenty of fresher faces available to add new energy. The final, rousing turnover was forced by a combination of Tadhg Beirne and Nick Timoney. The former has made a career from this kind of thing. The latter, a 30-year-old, has watched more of these games unfold from the sofa than the pitch.

Ireland's Tadhg Beirne. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

It hasn’t been Ireland’s best Six Nations, but never has this great tournament provided so many wild swings of emotions, so many shocks, so many startling stories. Even the trophy has been through the ringer, catching fire while in transit under our care here in Ireland. (In our defence, we didn’t think we had a hope of winning the thing when that happened)

This has been the championship where France can thump Ireland but get thumped by Scotland. The same Scotland who thumped England after losing to Italy but then put 50 points on France only to lose by 22 in Dublin a week later. Ireland responded to their French setback by filleting England, but looked less convincing against Wales and Italy. Italy haven’t quite thumped anyone, but did record an historic first win against a stuttering England – indeed, so stuttering that they went into the final round of games closer to the bottom of the table than the top. 

So if all of the above taught us anything, it was that this Super Saturday promised a world of possibilities. A day for the dreamers and optimists. A day where Ireland could win a championship they had started with one of their worst performances in recent memory. A day where Scotland might not just beat Ireland for the first time in 12 attempts, but also claim a first Triple Crown and maybe, hours later, lift the Six Nations trophy for the the first time, in an empty Aviva Stadium. 

No, not the fire-charred one, a replica substitute which was placed front and centre for the players here, waiting at the mouth of the Aviva Stadium tunnel in touching distance for those jogging out to warm up, tasked with not allowing those dreams weigh over the job at hand.

Not that any weight was evident on Ireland’s shoulders. From the very off, this was quick, sharp, accurate and light, the ball zipping between forwards and backs with that wonderful flow which marks Ireland at their best.

Remember when the lineout was a constant concern? That’s a last year problem. After Ireland won an early scrum penalty the lineout was clean and quick hands sent Jamie Osborne under the posts. Three minutes on the clock, and already, Scotland were chasing.

Their sharp response to that opener, courtesy of Darcy Graham, suggested the visitors were ready to put on a show of their own.

Ireland were never going to let that materialise. There is something about the sight of those deep blue jerseys that so often brings out the best in Irish teams.

The visitors would work hard to get into promising positions only to find men in green waiting to disrupt. Tom O’Toole forced that early scrum penalty before later pinching a ball as Scotland pushed on the fridges of the Ireland tryline. The Ulster tighthead ends this championship as one of it’s form looseheads.

Stuart McCloskey, Ireland’s player of the campaign, snapped into Finn Russell to knock the ball loose. Garry Ringrose was first to react and Jack Crowley kicked long. At the following lineout, Joe McCarthy got his limbs into the Scottish maul and took back Ireland’s ball – a stirring moment for the many fans donning fake mullets in the stands. Tadhg Furlong put every ounce of his weight into a huge tackle on the touchline. Dan Sheehan was popping up everywhere, looking the sharpest he has since returning from Lions duty last summer. 

He supplied Ireland’s second, the Scottish maul going down early, Sheehan seizing on the invitation. 

Their third try, still inside the opening 20 minutes, was a joy, the ball shifted out the back by Ringrose before being launched wide by McCloskey. Baloucoune still had a lot to do but had the pace, and crucially, the long limbs, to go full stretch and score.

Robert Baloucoune celebrates with Tommy O'Brien and Jamison Gibson-Park. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Ireland took that 19-7 lead into the break, halfway there, charging for the bonus point to push the pressure on France.

But only halfway there. It wouldn’t have felt right if this had been a straight-forward Six Nations closer. When Russell crossed and converted, early in the second half, it triggered a wild 10-minute spell. Darragh Murray came in for his Six Nations debut and had his first Six Nations try within moments. At least one dream realised. Scotland hit back again, Rory Darge’s converted try closing the gap to five points with 20 to play.

Andy Farrell responded by sending in six replacements, Ronán Kelleher, Michael Milne, Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray (for the second time), Ciarán Frawley and Bundee Aki all entering the action together.

Aki, the big-game player, was soon using his big frame to unlock the door, with Frawley supplying the penultimate touch before Tommy O’Brien ran in Ireland’s fifth. Crowley, excellent in the creation of that score, kicked his extras to put Ireland 12 clear. O’Brien would extend that even further. Make that 12 wins on the bounce for Ireland in this rivalry.

Now it’s all eyes on Paris, where the scene of Ireland’s nightmare start to this Six Nations has the potential to host the dream ending.

It’s been some ride.