Ireland's talk of Triple Crown 'consolation' was enough to sting Killer Bs

Published on Sunday 21 March 2010 23:25

JOHN Barclay revealed how Ireland's premature talk of having to settle for a Triple Crown instead of a Grand Slam inspired Scotland to show their Croke Park hosts, rated odds-on of 1-10 with Irish bookies before the game, that there is no such thing as a certainty in Six Nations rugby.

The openside flanker also believes Glasgow's 'Killer Bs' – Barclay, Kelly Brown and Johnnie Beattie – can be Scotland's back-row combination for years to come, having proved instrumental in the 23-20 victory in Dublin.

Barclay said: "All the talk in Dublin before the game was about they should not take the Triple Crown for granted and that it was seem as a consolation prize, which sounded to us as if they thought they had already won it. We definitely used that to motivate us."

Barclay, Brown and Beattie had never started a Test match together before Scotland's championship opener against France but, so well have they performed, they kept their places for the entire campaign. Saturday witnessed another stellar display from Beattie and Barclay in particular, and the latter sees no reason why they and Saracens-bound Brown cannot be the long-term solution to what had previously been a problem area. "If we play well for our clubs then yes," said Barclay, who was winning his 18th cap on Saturday.

Beattie went into the Six Nations as one of a number of players whose Test-playing credentials had been called into question. He had won only four caps in three years before Andy Robinson took charge last summer but is one of just five men to have started every game under the new head coach.

Barclay said: "Johnnie's really stepped up this season. I'd say he's one of the best No8s in the tournament. Kelly's just working away like he's always done."

Beattie added: "It's the first chance we've had, the three of us, to play together on this kind of stage. We've loved every minute of it and just want to get back to Glasgow and keep doing the same." Beattie scored a stunning try on Saturday to kick-start Scotland's fightback after Brian O'Driscoll had put Triple Crown-chasing Ireland ahead. Beattie ran 20 metres and broke through three tackles before stretching every sinew to plant the ball over the line.

"Go Go Gadget arms!" the 24-year-old joked. "All I can remember is just trying to run as hard at people as I possibly could and try to bounce my way over.

"I think Jim Hamilton was the closest to me so I just thought, 'I'll go for it, head down and see what happens'. I didn't think I would score when I got the ball.

"I was initially thinking, 'Try to cause some chaos and then recycle'. To get as far as I did was a bit of a surprise."