Six Nations: Ireland 32-14 Scotland: Scots facing wooden spoon decider

IT WAS difficult to know what was more depressing for Scotland supporters trudging away from this RBS Six Nations Championship match on Saturday night with minds thrown back a decade to the pain of record defeats by the Irish.

Was it that Scotland’s burgeoning attack ground to a standstill and, barring one moment of brilliance by lock Richie Gray, had as much creativity and momentum as a dead fish? Or was it that an Ireland side missing a top trio of players won at a canter, defending astutely but without producing a performance to thrill even its own Lansdowne audience in a decidedly flat affair?

The victory over Ireland at Croke Park two years ago is now distant history for Scots, some yesterday comparing the emotions to those provoked by the sobering 44-22 and 43-22 thumpings of 2000 and 2002. This was Scotland’s first visit to the new Aviva Stadium, on the site of the old Lansdowne Road. It may have been turned 90 degrees to squeeze in beside the old terraced houses, but it was all too familiar for Scots who have not witnessed a win in this part of Dublin since 1998.

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So after a more positive showing against France, albeit in defeat, how did it veer so violently off coach Andy Robinson’s script? This was an Ireland side shorn of skipper Paul O’Connell, the impressive scrum-half Connor Murray, dynamic flanker Sean O’Brien and the Emerald Isle’s 21st century inspiration, Brian O’Driscoll, by injury.

Scotland lost centre Nick De Luca before kick-off with a hamstring strain that worsened in the warm-up, but that opened the door for Max Evans to return in his favoured outside centre position, and meant a first call-up to the bench for Matt Scott, the talented Edinburgh centre, for whom a Test debut was only a matter of time.

Scotland even started brightly and led 6-0 with two Greig Laidlaw penalties in the first ten minutes, and dominated possession overall, enjoying nearly 40 minutes with the ball to Ireland’s 31 minutes. But, crucially, the Scots never really controlled the game. They lacked phases of possession, momentum and cohesion and, so, the necessary pressure to open up the admittedly strong and clever Ireland defence.

Coaches talk about Test matches being decided on little things, and there was one crucial moment in this game which may nag Scotland skipper Ross Ford for some time. His side had fallen 10-6 behind to a clever try by Ireland captain Rory Best. Rewarding his bravery in opting against a kick at goal and going for touch, newcomers Donnacha Ryan, awarded the RBS ‘Man of the Match’, and Peter O’Mahony combined to send the hooker crashing over Mike Blair and into the left-hand corner.

Still, the Scottish scrum and lineout were working well at that stage, Jim Hamilton and Richie Gray strong in the air, and when Ross Rennie, the skilful openside flanker, spotted a prop and a hooker as the cover he turned defence into attack with a long kick into the Irish half.

Best showed great pace and determination to reach the ball before the Scottish backs but he was taken into touch close to the home line.

Scotland won the lineout and Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan was penalised at the ensuing ruck. Ford instructed Laidlaw to kick the penalty to touch, Hamilton claimed the throw and a maul drove Ireland back.

The Irish dragged it down two metres short of the line; another penalty. Laidlaw kicked it to touch again and Gray took this lineout at the front. New Zealand referee Chris Pollock, quick and efficient on his tournament debut, swiftly penalised prop Mike Ross when he drove in offside.

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The Scots were annoyed that Pollock did not show a yellow card for three successive penalties, but he did call Best in and issue a strict warning, so it was clear that one more infringement and Ireland would be reduced to 14 men for the last ten minutes of the half – a glorious opportunity for points.

Surprisingly, however, with Ireland warned to keep everything legal, Ford chose not to attack them again. The skipper instructed Laidlaw to go for the posts, a decision which coach Andy Robinson claimed afterwards had been made by him, and Laidlaw kicked three points.

It was in keeping with Robinson’s desire to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and did bring Scotland to within a point – Ford said afterwards that another lineout was a risk – but it was also a sharp failure to react to the game at that moment; the vulnerability of the Irish and their lack of escape routes after the referee’s warning. A Scottish lineout and driven maul from five metres could not have been stopped again legally.

Handed a let-off, Ireland made Scotland pay. Jonny Sexton put up a great restart kick and the Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg lost it forward, and Graeme Morrison picked it up from an offside position.

Jamie Heaslip, the Ireland No8, ran the penalty, and though the Scottish defence forced Ireland to the touchline, they were caught foolishly when scrum-half Eoin Reddan dummied to run towards teammates, only to go into reverse and squeeze between the flummoxed Mike Blair and Sean Lamont, and scurry under David Denton to score.

With three minutes of the half remaining, Gray threw Scotland a lifeline when he took a fine flat pass from Laidlaw just inside the Irish half, shrugged off Tommy Bowe and Reddan and then sold Rob Kearney an outrageous dummy to finish a terrific 30-metre sprint with a try.

It was a great try by a great talent, but after Laidlaw’s conversion came off the post, right on half-time, Scotland imploded again.

Tommy Bowe this time won the Irish restart, but they kicked long and Jones took a mark. The winger then hurried a poor pass to Hogg, which invited pressure, and ultimately gifted Ireland a good attacking lineout.

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Best threw over the top to Ferris, centre Keith Earls hit the line with gusto, Kearney looped right at pace and though well tackled, the ball came back and Trimble crashed through Jones’ tackle to score in the right-hand corner.

So, from the potential the Scotland pack had to turn the screw on Ireland at 10-6 down with ten minutes of the half remaining, they headed inside 22-14 in arrears.

The Scots released their top scrummager, Euan Murray, from the bench five minutes into the second half, and the superb Denton was continuing to provide a great lead off scrums, slipping tackles and making yards every time, but the scrum started to creak, the Scots lineout faltered – Ireland had the worst statistics, even with linchpin O’Connell, and Scotland the best in the tournament before Saturday – and only fine wrestling by Morrison denied Bowe a try from a clever Sexton kick.

Still, there were 30 minutes of the game left, but rather than the Irish tire, as expected, with their run of three games in three weeks – after the French match was rearranged – Scotland’s attack seemed to run into quicksand and the Irish knew it.

Cusiter, Ruaridh Jackson, Richie Vernon and Al Kellock came on but the visitors could not keep ball long enough nor use it creatively enough to break free from the Irish hold.

Summing up the Scots’ day, their most promising moment in the second half turned into their most horrid. Gray had sparked momentum with a driving run into the 22 just after the hour-mark and Jackson passed to Jones, who had an overlap to his right. But just as the winger turned to exploit it, Trimble met him head-to-head, and Jones was knocked cold before he fell, worryingly, to the ground.

The game was stopped for some time while the Scottish medics brought him round and then stretchered him off, Scott coming on for his debut, and the game restarted with a scrum to Ireland.

As Jones was transported to hospital – he was kept in overnight for treatment for concussion but released yesterday – his teammates slipped out of this game too. It finished with another Sexton penalty, a yellow card for Max Evans for tugging Earls’ arm as he chased a kick and potential try, and then a fourth try for Fergus McFadden, three minutes after he replaced Kearney, to rub salt into the Scottish wound.

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The stadium was full, but when the final whistle sounded the atmosphere was strangely flat. Irish fans shrugged and Scots wandered out into the night, bemused, angry and struggling in vain to recall the memory of Croke Park. Even the picture of an improving team under Robinson was crumbling under the weight of a sixth straight Test defeat, and no amount of the fast-flowing black stuff on Baggot Street could alter that.

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