IN THOSE MOMENTS before kick-off yesterday afternoon, you could understand why Scottish fans might suddenly have felt a flood of hope.
As usual, Flower of Scotland was spine-tingling. When the bagpipes drop out and the thousands upon thousands of Scottish voices take centre stage, it is powerful.
Then Chris Hoy came onto the pitch with the match ball held aloft. The roars that met him were emotional, people saluting a man who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis last year and has shown incredible stoicism since.
It was stirring to see and hear Hoy given such a reception and though his reality makes a rugby game seem insignificant, you couldn’t help but think his presence would lift the Scots.
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Only a few of the Irish players applauded Hoy along his path towards Sam Prendergast, who was waiting to take the kick-off. It wasn’t any sign of a lack of respect, more an illustration that Ireland were totally in the zone.
And within minutes of the start of the game, Ireland had already started to squeeze hope out of Scotland’s fans and maybe even their players. It is not with the benefit of hindsight to suggest that we all felt this contest was only going one way from very early on.
Blair Kinghorn knocked on a Jamison Gibson-Park box kick and Ireland struck brilliantly from the ensuing scrum. Robbie Henshaw thundered into space off a clever starter play, James Lowe passed inside to Tadhg Beirne, Ireland swung the ball wide left for Peter O’Mahony to make ground, Caelan Doris tipped onto Beirne. Though the try didn’t come at the end of that passage, the tone was set.
Scottish fans held hope but it didn't last long. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Scotland were in retreat, penalties swiftly piled up, and Sam Prendergast calmly used one advantage to fire the ball wide for Calvin Nash to dot down with the clock reading 7:00. Prendergast nailed the tricky conversion and Murrayfield was already hushed, even if one fan roared, “Come on Scotland, do you know how much we paid for these tickets?”
Sure, there were sticky patches ahead for Ireland, particularly early in the second half, but they were never truly bothered by the Scots and will probably feel that they should have won the game by a bigger margin than 14 points. Irish sides have had massive battles in Murrayfield on many occasions but this was not one of them.
Scotland’s shortcomings were a big part of that. They certainly weren’t helped by the sickening collision that took Finn Russell and Darcy Graham out in the 22nd minute but their errors made life easier for Ireland.
Duhan van der Merwe’s yellow card was one such example. He was only sprinting back to stop Nash from possibly scoring because a poor Russell pass had been spilt by Kinghorn, allowing Henshaw to hack the ball ahead.
Just after Scotland had come back to 17-11 in the 49th minute, a wonderful Gibson-Park try saver having denied Kinghorn, Matt Fagerson spilt the ball having received the kick-off. Cue more Irish pressure, culminating in James Lowe’s try.
Gibson-Park’s clever kicks behind were key in the build-up to that score and the impactful Jack Conan’s not long after. Game definitely over with a full quarter still left to play.
The sight of Prendergast kicking three points from 45 metres out in the 70th minute was almost as big a kick in the teeth for Scotland as anything. Already 18 points clear, it almost seemed as if Ireland weren’t even bothered expending the energy needed to produce a fifth try.
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Scotland scrum-half Ben White. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Scotland can point to many small moments in the game as being important but when the list keeps getting longer, it’s a sign of a comprehensive, dominant performance from the opposition. That’s what Ireland delivered to cap a perfect opening block of this Six Nations.
Simon Easterby’s side haven’t got to the level of performance they want yet and they’ll hope that a good showing in round three in Wales on 22 February will tee them up to peak for the final two-game block against France in Dublin and Italy in Rome.
There is zero doubt that this Irish team are going after the Grand Slam now, while the Scots have to bounce back from a chastening afternoon again.
Many of the impressively large travelling support scarpered for flights home last night and there was a contended air out at Edinburgh airport. Everyone can see the room for further improvement but there is also a shared hope that the next fortnight passes quickly so this tilt at a third consecutive title can get rolling again in Cardiff.
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It's the hope that hurts you. Ireland left Scottish fans in despair once again
IN THOSE MOMENTS before kick-off yesterday afternoon, you could understand why Scottish fans might suddenly have felt a flood of hope.
As usual, Flower of Scotland was spine-tingling. When the bagpipes drop out and the thousands upon thousands of Scottish voices take centre stage, it is powerful.
Then Chris Hoy came onto the pitch with the match ball held aloft. The roars that met him were emotional, people saluting a man who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis last year and has shown incredible stoicism since.
It was stirring to see and hear Hoy given such a reception and though his reality makes a rugby game seem insignificant, you couldn’t help but think his presence would lift the Scots.
Only a few of the Irish players applauded Hoy along his path towards Sam Prendergast, who was waiting to take the kick-off. It wasn’t any sign of a lack of respect, more an illustration that Ireland were totally in the zone.
And within minutes of the start of the game, Ireland had already started to squeeze hope out of Scotland’s fans and maybe even their players. It is not with the benefit of hindsight to suggest that we all felt this contest was only going one way from very early on.
Blair Kinghorn knocked on a Jamison Gibson-Park box kick and Ireland struck brilliantly from the ensuing scrum. Robbie Henshaw thundered into space off a clever starter play, James Lowe passed inside to Tadhg Beirne, Ireland swung the ball wide left for Peter O’Mahony to make ground, Caelan Doris tipped onto Beirne. Though the try didn’t come at the end of that passage, the tone was set.
Scotland were in retreat, penalties swiftly piled up, and Sam Prendergast calmly used one advantage to fire the ball wide for Calvin Nash to dot down with the clock reading 7:00. Prendergast nailed the tricky conversion and Murrayfield was already hushed, even if one fan roared, “Come on Scotland, do you know how much we paid for these tickets?”
Sure, there were sticky patches ahead for Ireland, particularly early in the second half, but they were never truly bothered by the Scots and will probably feel that they should have won the game by a bigger margin than 14 points. Irish sides have had massive battles in Murrayfield on many occasions but this was not one of them.
Scotland’s shortcomings were a big part of that. They certainly weren’t helped by the sickening collision that took Finn Russell and Darcy Graham out in the 22nd minute but their errors made life easier for Ireland.
Duhan van der Merwe’s yellow card was one such example. He was only sprinting back to stop Nash from possibly scoring because a poor Russell pass had been spilt by Kinghorn, allowing Henshaw to hack the ball ahead.
Just after Scotland had come back to 17-11 in the 49th minute, a wonderful Gibson-Park try saver having denied Kinghorn, Matt Fagerson spilt the ball having received the kick-off. Cue more Irish pressure, culminating in James Lowe’s try.
Gibson-Park’s clever kicks behind were key in the build-up to that score and the impactful Jack Conan’s not long after. Game definitely over with a full quarter still left to play.
The sight of Prendergast kicking three points from 45 metres out in the 70th minute was almost as big a kick in the teeth for Scotland as anything. Already 18 points clear, it almost seemed as if Ireland weren’t even bothered expending the energy needed to produce a fifth try.
Scotland can point to many small moments in the game as being important but when the list keeps getting longer, it’s a sign of a comprehensive, dominant performance from the opposition. That’s what Ireland delivered to cap a perfect opening block of this Six Nations.
Simon Easterby’s side haven’t got to the level of performance they want yet and they’ll hope that a good showing in round three in Wales on 22 February will tee them up to peak for the final two-game block against France in Dublin and Italy in Rome.
There is zero doubt that this Irish team are going after the Grand Slam now, while the Scots have to bounce back from a chastening afternoon again.
Many of the impressively large travelling support scarpered for flights home last night and there was a contended air out at Edinburgh airport. Everyone can see the room for further improvement but there is also a shared hope that the next fortnight passes quickly so this tilt at a third consecutive title can get rolling again in Cardiff.
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11 in a row Ireland Scotland six nations 2025