Six Nations: Gregor Townsend issues ‘no chance’ Ireland warning after Scotland’s poor ending in Italy

Gregor Townsend has warned his Scotland players that if they play like they did in the final 20 minutes in Rome then they will have “no chance” against Ireland this weekend.

The Scots will complete their 2022 Six Nations campaign on Saturday in Dublin, a city in which they have not won for 12 years.

They go into the match on the back of a 33-22 victory over Italy which seemed to please and frustrate the Scotland coach in equal measure.

While happy to score five good tries and return to winning ways after the defeats by Wales and France, Townsend was left slightly deflated by the final quarter which saw the Scots concede two tries.

Captain Stuart Hogg impressed in Scotland's win in Rome, scoring Scotland's fifth and final try. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.

He knows they can’t afford such laxness at the Aviva.

“It is one of the biggest challenges in rugby, playing one of the top sides away from home in a venue where we have not done very well for a while,” said Townsend.

“We have to be better next week but at least we go into next week with confidence on the back of a win. We are very honest with each other and know that we have to be better to win in Dublin.”

Townsend did not try to mask his disappointment at the way Scotland went from leading 33-10 in Rome to finishing the game on the backfoot.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, left, has warned that Scotland will have to step up their game for Ireland. (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

“You will get a grumpy coaching group rather than one that should be happy with the result,” he said. “Look at the players. They know themselves we did not perform as well as we should have in that final quarter.

“Credit must go to them for the work they put in before then against a really good Italian side. The reality though is next week, if we play like that, we have no chance of winning. We will have to improve to be in a position to really challenge Ireland, stay in the fight and create opportunities to go ahead of them.”

Ireland remain the one team in the Six Nations that Scotland have failed to beat during Townsend’s near five-year reign. The coach expects this encounter to be more open than previous meetings, with their opponents graduating to a more expansive style.

That might suit Scotland but Ireland will go into the game as heavy favourites on the back of six consecutive wins over Townsend’s side in all competitions. They are also still in with a chance of stealing the Six Nations title from France’s grasp.

“I think it will be a much more open game than maybe games against Ireland in the past,” said Townsend. “They play a lot of rugby so that could work in our favour or put our defence under real pressure.

“We know Ireland are very good in the contact area, very good at the set piece, and they have built this attacking game that is really threatening but we have got to be able to match that as well as create problems for their attack through the way we defend and bring our own game to put them under pressure.”

Some of Scotland’s senior players found themselves in the firing line in the build-up to the Italy game but Townsend was pleased with how they stepped up in Rome, particularly captain Stuart Hogg.

“We have been on a journey of four games now and we have learned things about ourselves as a leadership group,” said the coach. “How we could do things better. I felt Stuart and the other leaders this week really stepped up with their honesty over what was required this week.

“They were some of our better players in the game. We know in leadership the best way to influence your teammates is playing well and they did that.”

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