Simon Zebo celebrates after scoring a try in Ireland’s 28-22 win over Scotland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Photograph: Stephen McCarthy /Sportsfile/CorbiWhat do you know? Scotland played some good rugby, entertained, led three times... and lost. They don’t look like the world’s 12th-ranked team, but they certainly have their results of late.
Ireland on the other hand will be pleased enough. They looked rusty in places, although Conan, Zebo and Bowe impressed greatly, but they had enough about them to secure the win.
It was a scrappy game, with lots of mistakes on both sides. Ultimately you’d say Ireland’s proved less costly, with Scotland again too naive to take advantage of all their opportunities. Both sides will get better though.
The match report might be around soon enough, so keep an eye open for that. Do join me again in 10 minutes or so though, for England v France. Thanks for reading, bye!
Updated
Full-time: Ireland 28-22 Scotland
Scotland get the penalty from the scrum, just outside the Ireland 22 on the left. The referee indicates they have time to kick to touch, so they do and we get the one more play. Scotland win the lineout, just and it’s a mess as Ireland look to disrupt again. Advantage Scotland as Harley carries it up. Left it goes to Blake, but he knocks on in the tackle and that’s that!
79 min It looks like it’s just cramp for man-of-the-match Zebo. The maul comes to nothing as the ball goes to ground. We’ll have just the one more play, I imagine.
78 min Scotland get a penalty for hands in the ruck and Tonks sticks it into touch, albeit getting no great ground. They maul, slowly, up to the 22 as Zebo hobbles off the pitch.
77 min Nothing really happens. “As Schmidt said during the week,” points out Evan Colbert, “when PO’C is on the pitch, he’s the captain.”
76 min Scotland regather it from the drop out and spread play wide, from wing to wing. They;re making ground, but not really stretching Ireland. Still, as long as they have the ball...
75 min Ah but he blazes it wide! That’s a poor miss.
74 min This time they’re going for goal though. Madigan will kick from the 22, around 15m in from the right.
74 min Scotland collapse the maul and that’s a penalty. I’d have been tempted to give a penalty try for that, it was so cynical and the try so inevitable.
73 min Paul O’Connell, who isn’t the captain, instructs his fly-half to stick it in the corner. No sign of what Sean O’Brien thought of that. O’Connell calls the lineout too, to himself and here comes that driving maul.
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