A LATE JOE Ansbro try gave Scotland a 10-6 win over Ireland at Murrayfield on Saturday, in a match that failed to produce a single score until late in the first half.
Scotland dominated possession throughout the game but it was Ireland that went into the half-time break with a slender 3-0 lead, Jonathan Sexton scoring a penalty.
The second half proved slightly less cagey.
Chris Paterson brought the Scots level with a penalty after some sloppy play by the otherwise excellent Rob Kearney.
Ireland’s lead was restored when Sexton converted a superb long-range penalty on 65 minutes and it looked like the defensive excellence of Declan Kidney’s men would see them home.
However, Scotland had other ideas and when Nick De Luca’s pass was collected by Ansbro, the latter beat the challenge of Andrew Trimble to race through and cross the line.
The fine interplay of Luke Fitzgerald and Kearney will have come as a boon to Kidney, who will read little into the result of this pre-season encounter.
Elsewhere, England beat Wales 23-19 in another World Cup warm-up clash at Twickenham.