Hello everyone and welcome to The 42′s live updates from Ireland’s final Rugby World Cup pool game against Scotland.
Well, here we go…
Gavan Casey with you here and I’ll be taking you through the game, blow by blow, in the event that you can’t make it to a telly this evening.
For Scotland, the task is tall but not necessarily insurmountable: they must beat the world’s top-ranked team by eight points to reach the quarter-finals. They haven’t beaten Ireland by that kind of margin in 22 years.
Ireland’s aim will be more straightforward: win the game and book a last-eight clash with the All Blacks next weekend.
Of course, there are a few other eventualities which would see Ireland go through as well, but let’s cross those particular bridges only if we come to them (mostly because I don’t have the brain capacity to run through them properly here).
How are you feeling, Ireland fans?
Poll Results:
My colleague Murray Kinsella continues to give people panic attacks when he tweets these first four words every time Johnny Sexton emerges for a warm-up.
I’ve asked him to stop but his response was, ‘People should just read the whole tweet.’
Johnny Sexton is out for the warm-up. pic.twitter.com/zlpmhY8BcY
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) October 7, 2023
Murray and Ciarán Kennedy will have match reports, reaction and analysis on The 42 later tonight and over the course of the weekend.
I’ll be on player ratings, which I never feel good about. I long for a world in which players would have the time to give journalist ratings as well, just to level the playing field. And I’d bite someone’s hand off for a 6.
A reminder of how both sides will line out tonight.
One hundred up for Peter O’Mahony, while the Scots switch things up at scrum-half with Ali Price coming in.
Gregor Townsend has also opted for a 6-2 split on his bench after Ireland pulled away from Scotland in the second half of their Six Nations clash in Edinburgh.
Ireland’s Call under way at the Stade de France.
The stadium is 90% green. Insane turnout by the Irish supporters once more.
1′ – IRL 0-0 SCO: Johnny Sexton gets us underway in Paris.
Your man in the middle, by the way, is Nick Berry of Australia.
Here we go!
2′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: OHHHHHH WHAT A START! AND WHAT A SCORE FOR IRELAND!
It’s James Lowe who dots down to cap a dream opening minute for Andy Farrell’s side, but it was a wonderful team score.
Garry Ringrose dummied and scythed through the Scottish defence into their 22. He popped it to Hansen, and Hansen put Lowe over for a simple score in the left-hand corner.
Beautiful rugby!
Sexton’s conversion from the left-hand touchline is off the mark, but Ireland lead!
5′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Scotland’s response is a good one: a tidy, flowing attack with Finn Russell at the heart of it. They win a pen advantage near halfway and eventually Ireland counter-ruck them off their own ball — but it’s back for the pen.
Russell goes for the corner and takes the Scots up to precipice of the Irish 5′.
Big chance for Scotland, now.
6′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Penalty Ireland! Brilliant work at the breakdown and Caelan Doris in with the jackal.
The Scots again were lively, eventually switching the line of attack and putting Van der Merwe down the blind — but Doris yoinks it on his own 5′.
8′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Blair Kinghorn off for a HIA.
Ireland’s first lineout was a good one — but they spill the ball forward on second phase. Scottish scrum on the Irish 10′.
9′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Scotland win a penalty on the scrum, Pierre Schoeman against Tadhg Furlong who was a bit unlucky as he lost his footing.
Russell takes the Scots up to the 22′.
Lineout time: O’Mahony nearly steals it! But it bobbles out into touch, a yard or two closer to the Ireland line. A lineout concern for the Scots early but a net positive with a second chance.
10′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Scotland win it at the tail. Excellent maul defence by Ireland.
The Scots go wide right and Hugo Keenan makes a brilliant tackle on Darcy Graham!
Scotland win another penalty, though, as James Lowe slips off his feet at the breakdown.
Scotland lineout on the Irish 5′.
14′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Unreal defensive set by Ireland! Scotland built 18 or 19 phases but Ireland ultimately drive them back towards the 22′.
Eventually, Doris forces a spillage from Scotland in contact. Ireland get the scrum inside their own 22′.
Big early moment, there!
15′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Ireland win a penalty at the scrum!
Sexton boots them back into the Scottish half after an absorbing defensive effort.
16′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Nice attacking shape by Ireland and they move it towards the Scottish 22′ but Beirne eventually overruns a pass and spills it in contact, Grant Gilchrist with the hit.
Scotland scrum, now, outside their own 22′.
18′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Hugo Keenan fields a booming clearing kick by Scotland and very nearly slips into touch. Scottish fans felt his boot clipped the line — and they might have a point, to be honest.
Lowe, meanwhile, returns the kick with interest.
Scotland lineout on their own 22′. They win it… and Ireland bully them off their own ball! Huge by Beirne!!!
Massive carry by Aki and here come Ireland! Sexton puts O’Mahony through a hole and OH! SO CLOSE! O’Mahony offloads to Hansen but he knocks the ball on under immense pressure with the line gaping!
19′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Play stopped here with a Scotland scrum pending. Jamie Ritchie, though, will not play a part in it.
The Scotland captain has gone off holding his ribs. That’s a sickener for him.
Blair Kinghorn hasn’t come back yet either, by the way.
20′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Scotland eventually clear to Ireland’s 10′ after the scrum.
22′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Blood sub for Mack Hansen, who’s replaced temporarilty by Stuart McCloskey.
His first World Cup minutes will come at 12, with Aki 13 and Ringrose shifting out to the wing.
23′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Brilliant turnover by Rory Darge on the ground and Russell pins Ireland back into their own territory.
Keenan clears to touch.
O’Mahony steals the lineout!
Ireland clear into the Scottish half.
26′ – IRL 5-0 SCO: Ireland win this particular kick battle as Garry Ringrose controls an aimless Russell kick with his boot and puts Ali Price under pressure in his own 22′. Ireland gain about 30 minutes.
Ah, gutting for Blair Kinghorn. He’s in tears on the sideline. We won’t be seeing him again today.
26′ – IRL 12-0 SCO: IT’S AN UNBELIEVABLE SCORE!!!
For all the talk of Scotland’s attack, it’s Ireland who absolutely split them open again!
Lineout on halfway. Ireland go full Harlem Globetrotters — I think every back got a touch, and Doris was involved as well.
Eventually, Hugo Keenan is sent away down the left-hand side of Scotland’s 22′ and he’s over for his 11th international try!
Unreal.
…And Sexton splits the posts this time. It’s 12-0 to Ireland!
29′ – IRL 12-0 SCO: Scotland look to build pressure. Multiple phases. And Andrew Porter says, ‘Nope.’
Huge jackal penalty won by the Leinster man. And 60,000-odd Irish fans go nuts.
32′ – IRL 19-0 SCO: IAIN HENDERSON!!! A THIRD TRY FOR IRELAND!
This is dream stuff.
Ireland patiently move some 40 yards up towards the Scottish line. Gibson-Park instrumental. Some huge carries by Doris, too. And Beirne got them to within inches.
Gibson-Park looks to snipe but is held short. And Henderson — in from the start today — burrows over!
It’s another brilliant Irish try. And Sexton goes two from three with the boot. It’s 19-0!
35′ – IRL 19-0 SCO: Rory Darge pinged for a neck-roll near halfway.
Hansen came back on — but he’s now gone back off. Don’t think he’ll be back again, so that’s a concern for Ireland.
Sexton, meanwhile, takes them back up to the Scottish 22′.
36′ – IRL 19-0 SCO: Ireland’s maul gets moving. It rolls towards the 5′, and they get a penalty advantage to boot.
In the end, Doris spills the ball on an inward step but it’ll come back for the penalty. Ireland tap and go — but a Porter switches the point of attack and his pass hits referee Nic Berry. Jaysus, Ireland had a serious chance there, and Berry rightly apologises.
So, it’ll be an Ireland scrum just outside the Scottish 5′.
38′ – IRL 19-0 SCO: It was McCloskey who came back on for Hansen, by the way.
Ireland win a penalty at the scrum and Sheehan goes again!
39′ – IRL 26-0 SCO: WELL, THERE’S YOUR BONUS POINT!
Ireland eventually swing it wide right and Keenan catches the ball on the jump before crashing over on the right-hand side!
His second try, and Ireland’s fourth!
And Sexton moves to 75% from the tee.
I’m not exaggerating: Ireland virtually sprinted towards the dressing rooms — and I think Peter O’Mahony might even have ordered someone to up their speed en route.
Scotland, by contrast, are trudging off. It’s been an obliteration at the Stade.
Ireland lead by 26 — and remember, Scotland need to win by eight.
Still 40 minutes to finish the job but, wow, Ireland have been superb! Catch you all in 15!
41′ – IRL 26-0 SCO: Scotland go short with the restart and win the ball.
Conor Murray has come on for James Lowe — so both of Ireland’s wingers are off with injuries. Lowe had taken a bad poke in the eye off Furlong in the first half, so hopefully it was just that.
Murray will play nine, I think, with Gibson-Park moving to the left wing.
Ringrose on the right.
42′ – IRL 26-0 SCO: A lotttt of pushing and shoving here during a break in play.
Pierre Schoeman has shoved Dan Sheehan clean over an advertising hoarding, which was poor form.
Nic Berry’s gonna check the whole thing out, now.
42′ – IRL 26-0 SCO: Ollie Smith has been sent to the bin for a trip on Johnny Sexton.
Sexton’s push of him afterwards kicked the rest of it off, but it’ll remain an Ireland penalty.
Schoeman a lucky boy, there.
44′ – IRL 31-0 SCO: Dan Sheehan has seen Pierre Schoeman’s handbags and raised him a try!
Wonderful Irish score, but a bit of a cakewalk in the end.
Gibson-Park heavily involved — firstly with a nice dart down the right wing.
In the end, he puts Sheehan over on the left. A fifth try for Ireland!
Sexton’s kick from the left-hand touchline is narrowly wide, and that’ll be his final involvement.
47′ – IRL 31-0 SCO: Scotland fashion a chance for Van der Merwe down the left but he spills the ball forward as Jack Crowley — on for Sexton — tackles him.
The bad news for Ireland is that Tadhg Furlong seems to have an issue with his leg.
Ireland are emptying the bench, here, with Furlong among the men coming off.
50′ – IRL 31-0 SCO: Furlong didn’t look overly concerned as he came off, warmly applauding the fans. Hopefully nothing too serious.
52′ – IRL 31-0 SCO: Scotland come as close as they have all night, knocking on the Irish door.
Rónan Kelleher pinged for offside. Scotland tap and go — and knock it on off first phase. Huge tackle by McCloskey on Jack Dempsey!
Great defence by Ireland again.
53′ — IRL 31-0 SCO: Really, since the tripping and pushing and shoving, the sting has virtually disappeared from this game.
Ireland are still defending fiercely but in general, it’s all become a bit passive — including in the stands.
It’s mostly about getting out of here without [further] injury now.
Ireland have laid waste to the Scots and utterly killed the contest with just under half an hour to go.
56′ – IRL 31-0 SCO: James Lowe has apparently been taken to hospital. I’m sure Ireland will have updates on that after full-time. Hopefully just a precaution. Again, it was an eye injury so fingers and toes crossed he’s alright.
58′ – IRL 36-0 SCO: That’s six!
Ireland build again into the Scottish 22′, absolutely having their way with the Scottish defence.
Crowley dinks a wonderful crossfield kick with the outside of his right boot, shipping a late hit by George Turner in the process, and into the grateful arms of Garry Ringrose on the left wing!
Picture-perfect score.
Crowley’s conversion boings back off the post, so he’ll have to wait to open his own account this evening.
61′ – IRL 36-0 SCO: Correction: James Lowe has, in fact, not been taken to hospital. He’s on the sideline, in pretty good spirits.
Apologies for the misinformation, there. He may well go and get the eye checked afterwards — but he hasn’t yet, anyway.
62′ – IRL 36-7 SCO: Scotland finally find a mismatch on the edges and it’s Ewan Ashman who strolls over on the right-hand side.
Iain Henderson was a bit quick to rush up on Tuipulotu and the centre got his pass away to replacement hooker Ashman.
Nice con by Russell from the right-hand touchline.
65′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: Another Scottish score in extremely quick succession — the South Africans will be getting itchy if this continues!
It’s a breakaway score, rounded off by Ali Price. Lapse defence by Ireland but the game, at this stage, is a rabble.
Still, they’re huddled under the posts as Russell converts, and there are a few stern words being dished out.
67′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: Scotland tails up here. It’s too late, obviously, but credit to them for refusing to roll over completely in this second half. For some of them, like Russell, it’ll be a last ever World Cup game.
They attack Ireland again, now, from the Irish 22′.
69′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: James Ryan — who was down injured moments beforehand — makes a big hit on Russell and the ball spills back about 20 yards.
Scotland go again from halfway — but they knock it on.
74′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: A long-draining period of kick-tennis ends with a jackal penalty won by… Jamison Gibson-Park!
Crowley takes Ireland into Scottish territory.
Everyone — the players included — just waiting for this one to end, now, really.
80′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: Finlay Bealham has a try disallowed because there was an Irish knock-on in the previous ruck. Ah, sickened for him! He’s been brilliant since coming on for Furlong.
Scottish scrum on their own 5′ with the clock in the red.
81′ – IRL 36-14 SCO: Van der Merwe makes some decent gains down the left but a loose pass finds only Irish hands. Dave Kilcoyne stands in at scrum-half and stabs it out of play!
Full-time!
A job exceptionally well done by Ireland, and mostly done in a devastating first half.
A couple of injury concerns on the wings and with Tadhg Furlong, but let’s wait for further updates there.
Next up… Well, you already know.
See you back in Paris next Saturday, New Zealand!
Thanks for joining us! Catch you then!
