THE IRISH DOMINANCE continues. One irate Scotland fan near the press box had left before the game was even in its final 15 minutes. To be fair, Ireland already had their bonus point wrapped up, as well as their 11th consecutive win against the Scots.
Interim head coach Simon Easterby’s side will be very pleased to make it two bonus-point wins from two so far in this Six Nations, leaving them in prime position to go after the title and perhaps a Grand Slam.
These are still early days but Ireland were impressive for large parts of this game, starting at breakneck speed to hush Murrayfield and leave the Scots chasing. Gregor Townsend’s men had a purple patch early in the second half but were a clear second-best.
Andy Farrell was in attendance in his guise as Lions boss and Irish players won all of the big battles. Hugo Keenan excelled as Blair Kinghorn struggled, Caelan Doris was to the fore with leadership by example against the relatively quiet Scottish back row, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Finlay Bealham earned credit in the front row, the second-row pairing of Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan excelled, while player of the match Sam Prendergast shone at out-half on an afternoon when Finn Russell had to exit early due to a head injury. There were others who impressed too.
Ireland had their win wrapped up so early that they were able to experiment by sending Jack Crowley on at fullback, with Keenan shifting to the right wing after Calvin Nash had delivered a try-scoring performance in the number 14 shirt.
Doris, James Lowe, and Jack Conan added tries to Nash’s opening effort, while Prendergast kicked 12 points from the tee for Easterby’s side as part of his clever, controlled performance in the number 10 jersey alongside the influential, hard-working, and inventive Jamison Gibson-Park.
Ireland head into the first break weekend in control of the table, the only side to have won their two opening games. They now look towards a visit to a poor Wales side on Saturday 22 February with confidence.
Calvin Nash dots down early on. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
With Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, and Mack Hansen all expected to return from injury in this championship, Ireland are in a good spot.
The emotional moments just before kick-off – Chris Hoy delivered the match ball following his terminal cancer diagnosis last year – didn’t distract Ireland as they made a brilliant start.
Their attack flowed from the off, drawing penalties from Scotland and building major pressure until the home side cracked. With penalty advantage playing, Prendergast swept a lovely long pass wide for Nash to finish untouched. The Scots escaped a yellow card but Prendergast’s conversion from out on the right had Ireland 7-0 up after seven minutes.
Two botched Irish lineouts prevented Ireland from doing further damage but Scotland were down to 14 men in the 14th minute when Van der Merwe shoved Nash as the Irish wing chased up a kick ahead by Robbie Henshaw after Blair Kinghorn’s second knock-on of the game.
Nash nudged the ball over the tryline just before Van der Merwe barrelled into him, with the Scottish wing sin-binned by referee James Doleman after a TMO review. There was no penalty try as Nash’s nudge had shot off to his left where there was cover.
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There was frustration for Ireland in the sin-bin period as they were twice held up over the Scottish tryline, first from the maul resulting from van der Merwe’s indiscretion, then when Jack Dempsey got underneath opposite number Caelan Doris.
Lions boss Andy Farrell was in attendance. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Scots were hit by a double injury blow when out-half Finn Russell and Darcy Graham clashed head-on-head covering a promising Irish attack and the visitors did grab points before van der Merwe returned as Prendergast slotted a penalty for 10-0.
Even with Scotland restored to 15, Ireland kept the pressure on. Peter O’Mahony won a big breakdown turnover to launch the next period down in Scotland’s half, with Nash and Andrew Porter blocking down attempted exit kicks by the hosts – Prendergast having done the same earlier.
And the territorial dominance eventually told from an Irish scrum in the 22, Prendergast darting into the shortside and going close on first phase before Doris smashed through Dempsey and Grant Gilchrist to score. Prendergast converted.
Ireland would have loved to carry their 17-0 lead into the break but they invited Scotland back into the game as Prendergast kicked out on the full, they were caught offside, James Ryan failed to roll away, then they were penalised for sealing off near their own tryline with the clock in the red.
Ireland’s pack had defended superbly in the preceding minutes – Ryan stealing a close-range lineout before Rónan Kelleher led some excellent maul defence – but the Scots took the final chance of the half.
They tapped from the sealing-off penalty, made some tight carries then spread the ball wide left where Stafford McDowall offloaded and van der Merwe produced a sensational finish, leaping up and into Prendergast’s tackle and reaching out acrobatically to dot down one-handed.
Caelan Doris scores for Ireland. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
17-5 was still a fine lead for Ireland to have as the second half got underway but it only lasted that way for just over two minutes as Kinghorn took three points from straight in front of the posts when Beirne failed to roll away from a tackle.
Ireland had sent Dan Sheehan on at hooker at the break but his first lineout throw was picked off by Jonny Gray, giving the home side another shot of momentum.
Scotland soon broke out from a scrum in their own half as Henshaw unsuccessfully shot up from the line looking for an intercept, meaning Ireland needed a brilliant try-saving tackle from Jamison Gibson-Park to stop Kinghorn from scoring.
Henshaw knocked on in a tackle on the next phase so the pressure was still on from a five-metre scrum from which the Irish backs were offside. Ireland appeared to be reeling in the 50th minute but Scotland took the easy three again for 17-11.
Ireland needed a response and got it as Lowe scooped up a bobbling ball near halfway, finding Doris, who passed to Gibson-Park to chip ahead and drive Kinghorn over his own tryline.
Ireland didn’t miss from the five-metre scrum, earning penalty advantage at the set-piece and eventually swinging the ball out to Lowe through quick hands from Keenan. Lowe did a job on Kinghorn, stepping outside him and powering over the line. Prendergast converted and Ireland were 24-11 to the good with 25 minutes left.
Sam Prendergast attacks for Ireland. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Fields of Athenry rang out around Murrayfield as Finlay Bealham won a breakdown turnover to send Ireland back into the Scottish half.
The lineout attack seemed to have lost rhythm but Gibson-Park dinked a kick over the top of the ruck for the ever-aware Keenan to gather under the Scottish posts and though Ireland’s fullback was tackled in the air, they recycled and Jack Conan – only on the pitch a few minutes – barge over for the bonus point try with a quarter of the game still to go.
Prendergast tacked on another three with a shot at goal and though Scotland grabbed a consolation try in the 76th minute this was not a day for Scottish celebrations.
Scotland scorers:
Tries: Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White
Conversions: Blair Kinghorn [1 from 2]
Penalties: Blair Kinghorn [2 from 2]
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Calvin Nash, Caelan Doris, James Lowe, Jack Conan
Conversions: Sam Prendergast [3 from 4]
Penalties: Sam Prendergast [2 from 2]
SCOTLAND: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham (Jamie Dobie ’22), Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Duhan van der Merwe (yellow card ’14); Finn Russell (co-captain) (Stafford McDowall ’22), Ben White; Rory Sutherland, (Pierre Schoeman ’48), Dave Cherry (Ewan Ashman ’48), Zander Fagerson (Will Hurd ’68); Jonny Gray (Gregor Brown ’48), Grant Gilchrist (Sam Skinner ’68); Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (co-captain), Jack Dempsey (Jamie Ritchie ’60).
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan; Calvin Nash (Jack Crowley ’65), Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki (Garry Ringrose ’58), James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Conor Murray ’69); Andrew Porter (Cian Healy ’70), Rónan Kelleher (Dan Sheehan ‘HT), Finlay Bealham (Thomas Clarkson ’60); James Ryan (Ryan Baird ’65), Tadhg Beirne (HIA – Ryan Baird ’10 (HIA – Jack Conan 14′) to ’19); Peter O’Mahony (Jack Conan ’52), Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Referee: James Doleman [New Zealand].
- This article was updated at 12.33am on 10 February to correct ‘Scott Cummings’ to ‘Grant Gilchrist’.
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Ireland dismantle Scotland to earn second Six Nations bonus-point win
Scotland 18
Ireland 32
THE IRISH DOMINANCE continues. One irate Scotland fan near the press box had left before the game was even in its final 15 minutes. To be fair, Ireland already had their bonus point wrapped up, as well as their 11th consecutive win against the Scots.
Interim head coach Simon Easterby’s side will be very pleased to make it two bonus-point wins from two so far in this Six Nations, leaving them in prime position to go after the title and perhaps a Grand Slam.
These are still early days but Ireland were impressive for large parts of this game, starting at breakneck speed to hush Murrayfield and leave the Scots chasing. Gregor Townsend’s men had a purple patch early in the second half but were a clear second-best.
Andy Farrell was in attendance in his guise as Lions boss and Irish players won all of the big battles. Hugo Keenan excelled as Blair Kinghorn struggled, Caelan Doris was to the fore with leadership by example against the relatively quiet Scottish back row, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, and Finlay Bealham earned credit in the front row, the second-row pairing of Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan excelled, while player of the match Sam Prendergast shone at out-half on an afternoon when Finn Russell had to exit early due to a head injury. There were others who impressed too.
Ireland had their win wrapped up so early that they were able to experiment by sending Jack Crowley on at fullback, with Keenan shifting to the right wing after Calvin Nash had delivered a try-scoring performance in the number 14 shirt.
Doris, James Lowe, and Jack Conan added tries to Nash’s opening effort, while Prendergast kicked 12 points from the tee for Easterby’s side as part of his clever, controlled performance in the number 10 jersey alongside the influential, hard-working, and inventive Jamison Gibson-Park.
Ireland head into the first break weekend in control of the table, the only side to have won their two opening games. They now look towards a visit to a poor Wales side on Saturday 22 February with confidence.
With Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, and Mack Hansen all expected to return from injury in this championship, Ireland are in a good spot.
The emotional moments just before kick-off – Chris Hoy delivered the match ball following his terminal cancer diagnosis last year – didn’t distract Ireland as they made a brilliant start.
Their attack flowed from the off, drawing penalties from Scotland and building major pressure until the home side cracked. With penalty advantage playing, Prendergast swept a lovely long pass wide for Nash to finish untouched. The Scots escaped a yellow card but Prendergast’s conversion from out on the right had Ireland 7-0 up after seven minutes.
Two botched Irish lineouts prevented Ireland from doing further damage but Scotland were down to 14 men in the 14th minute when Van der Merwe shoved Nash as the Irish wing chased up a kick ahead by Robbie Henshaw after Blair Kinghorn’s second knock-on of the game.
Nash nudged the ball over the tryline just before Van der Merwe barrelled into him, with the Scottish wing sin-binned by referee James Doleman after a TMO review. There was no penalty try as Nash’s nudge had shot off to his left where there was cover.
There was frustration for Ireland in the sin-bin period as they were twice held up over the Scottish tryline, first from the maul resulting from van der Merwe’s indiscretion, then when Jack Dempsey got underneath opposite number Caelan Doris.
The Scots were hit by a double injury blow when out-half Finn Russell and Darcy Graham clashed head-on-head covering a promising Irish attack and the visitors did grab points before van der Merwe returned as Prendergast slotted a penalty for 10-0.
Even with Scotland restored to 15, Ireland kept the pressure on. Peter O’Mahony won a big breakdown turnover to launch the next period down in Scotland’s half, with Nash and Andrew Porter blocking down attempted exit kicks by the hosts – Prendergast having done the same earlier.
And the territorial dominance eventually told from an Irish scrum in the 22, Prendergast darting into the shortside and going close on first phase before Doris smashed through Dempsey and Grant Gilchrist to score. Prendergast converted.
Ireland would have loved to carry their 17-0 lead into the break but they invited Scotland back into the game as Prendergast kicked out on the full, they were caught offside, James Ryan failed to roll away, then they were penalised for sealing off near their own tryline with the clock in the red.
Ireland’s pack had defended superbly in the preceding minutes – Ryan stealing a close-range lineout before Rónan Kelleher led some excellent maul defence – but the Scots took the final chance of the half.
They tapped from the sealing-off penalty, made some tight carries then spread the ball wide left where Stafford McDowall offloaded and van der Merwe produced a sensational finish, leaping up and into Prendergast’s tackle and reaching out acrobatically to dot down one-handed.
17-5 was still a fine lead for Ireland to have as the second half got underway but it only lasted that way for just over two minutes as Kinghorn took three points from straight in front of the posts when Beirne failed to roll away from a tackle.
Ireland had sent Dan Sheehan on at hooker at the break but his first lineout throw was picked off by Jonny Gray, giving the home side another shot of momentum.
Scotland soon broke out from a scrum in their own half as Henshaw unsuccessfully shot up from the line looking for an intercept, meaning Ireland needed a brilliant try-saving tackle from Jamison Gibson-Park to stop Kinghorn from scoring.
Henshaw knocked on in a tackle on the next phase so the pressure was still on from a five-metre scrum from which the Irish backs were offside. Ireland appeared to be reeling in the 50th minute but Scotland took the easy three again for 17-11.
Ireland needed a response and got it as Lowe scooped up a bobbling ball near halfway, finding Doris, who passed to Gibson-Park to chip ahead and drive Kinghorn over his own tryline.
Ireland didn’t miss from the five-metre scrum, earning penalty advantage at the set-piece and eventually swinging the ball out to Lowe through quick hands from Keenan. Lowe did a job on Kinghorn, stepping outside him and powering over the line. Prendergast converted and Ireland were 24-11 to the good with 25 minutes left.
The Fields of Athenry rang out around Murrayfield as Finlay Bealham won a breakdown turnover to send Ireland back into the Scottish half.
The lineout attack seemed to have lost rhythm but Gibson-Park dinked a kick over the top of the ruck for the ever-aware Keenan to gather under the Scottish posts and though Ireland’s fullback was tackled in the air, they recycled and Jack Conan – only on the pitch a few minutes – barge over for the bonus point try with a quarter of the game still to go.
Prendergast tacked on another three with a shot at goal and though Scotland grabbed a consolation try in the 76th minute this was not a day for Scottish celebrations.
Scotland scorers:
Tries: Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White
Conversions: Blair Kinghorn [1 from 2]
Penalties: Blair Kinghorn [2 from 2]
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Calvin Nash, Caelan Doris, James Lowe, Jack Conan
Conversions: Sam Prendergast [3 from 4]
Penalties: Sam Prendergast [2 from 2]
SCOTLAND: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham (Jamie Dobie ’22), Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Duhan van der Merwe (yellow card ’14); Finn Russell (co-captain) (Stafford McDowall ’22), Ben White; Rory Sutherland, (Pierre Schoeman ’48), Dave Cherry (Ewan Ashman ’48), Zander Fagerson (Will Hurd ’68); Jonny Gray (Gregor Brown ’48), Grant Gilchrist (Sam Skinner ’68); Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (co-captain), Jack Dempsey (Jamie Ritchie ’60).
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan; Calvin Nash (Jack Crowley ’65), Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki (Garry Ringrose ’58), James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Conor Murray ’69); Andrew Porter (Cian Healy ’70), Rónan Kelleher (Dan Sheehan ‘HT), Finlay Bealham (Thomas Clarkson ’60); James Ryan (Ryan Baird ’65), Tadhg Beirne (HIA – Ryan Baird ’10 (HIA – Jack Conan 14′) to ’19); Peter O’Mahony (Jack Conan ’52), Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Referee: James Doleman [New Zealand].
- This article was updated at 12.33am on 10 February to correct ‘Scott Cummings’ to ‘Grant Gilchrist’.
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