Ireland v Scotland, Dublin, 6Ns 2024 Round 5

First topic message reminder :

Ireland have a great chance to take the title and redeem themselves against Scotland at home on St Paddy's weekend.

Scotland can try to redeem themselves... Guess we're back to where we're happiest, the dark horse underdog extraordinaire. Maybe without the dark horse tag.


Stats

Bookies say 1/10 for an Ireland win 6/1 for a Scotland upset.

Last Scotland win was 2017 at Murrayfield under Vern Cotter 27-22.

Last 8 encounters Ireland have won, the biggest margin in the 2019 WC where Ireland won 27-3, the average difference being 17 points.

Last Dublin encounter Ireland won 26-5 in 2022.

Ireland just basically have to win to win the title.

Scotland will be chasing the triple crown but a title is far less likely, with best case scenario possibly second.

Prediction

Mine will be a professional Irish win against a somewhat improved but typically limited Scotland performance. They are at least 17 points better, and none of the evidence from this year points to anything other than a continued run of form against Scotland. The points difference depends on the Scottish bench selection and use.

36-12

Townsend to finally call it quits (I hope).

Geordie wrote:Lol at least Johnnie Beattie is happy they beaten England 4 times in a row....

Don’t. That’s why I say we never improve. Our benchmark is “can we beat England? Job done”

You know I actually had a fellow ex player say to me today that he didn’t want Scotland to win vs Ireland (and get the first triple crown in 34 years) as it would risk England beating France to get the title!!!! What kind of utter bull excrement is that????

I can't get my head around wanting another team to lose more than wanting your own team to win ...

Heaf wrote:I can't get my head around wanting another team to lose more than wanting your own team to win ...

I hope and believe that all Scotland fans older than 15 and with an IQ larger than their shoe size don't think that.

Heaf wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

RDW wrote:How could the ref have even Sen that

FFS

Welcome to watching Scotland vs the opposition and the refs live

A 4th finishing spot. Which includes the worst Welsh side
I’ve ever seen and possibly the worst French side I’ve ever seen.

God awful championship from is in my arm chair pundit opinion

You're not 4th yet ...

I suspect unfortunately you'll finish 3rd above England - I have a feeling we're not going to get anything tonight

Heaf wrote:

Heaf wrote:

tigertattie wrote:

RDW wrote:How could the ref have even Sen that

FFS

Welcome to watching Scotland vs the opposition and the refs live

A 4th finishing spot. Which includes the worst Welsh side
I’ve ever seen and possibly the worst French side I’ve ever seen.

God awful championship from is in my arm chair pundit opinion

You're not 4th yet ...

I suspect unfortunately you'll finish 3rd above England - I have a feeling we're not going to get anything tonight

You just need a win, France have looked poor except against Wales!

Just a LBP I think - but I'm not confident in that even ...

tigertattie wrote:

Geordie wrote:Lol at least Johnnie Beattie is happy they beaten England 4 times in a row....

Don’t. That’s why I say we never improve. Our benchmark is “can we beat England? Job done”

You know I actually had a fellow ex player say to me today that he didn’t want Scotland to win vs Ireland (and get the first triple crown in 34 years) as it would risk England beating France to get the title!!!! What kind of utter bull excrement is that????

Just to clarify, this is what Beattie actually said which is far less sensational than made out here...

It's a close four points in a game away from home. Scotland have knocked down big teams away from home in the past.

We're punching above our weight but can we do it consistently, that is the real question.

A small rugby nation up against a nation that has so many more players available. We've beaten England four times in a row though so the question is just consistency.

tigertattie wrote:

Geordie wrote:Lol at least Johnnie Beattie is happy they beaten England 4 times in a row....

Don’t. That’s why I say we never improve. Our benchmark is “can we beat England? Job done”

You know I actually had a fellow ex player say to me today that he didn’t want Scotland to win vs Ireland (and get the first triple crown in 34 years) as it would risk England beating France to get the title!!!! What kind of utter bull excrement is that????

Its political tiger...always will be ..and im a Newcastle boy with a weegie mother....and lots of time spent in Rutherglen and toryglen...not fun when your a young Englishman

27 tackles from Christie with 1 missed

RDW wrote:27 tackles from Christie with 1 missed

We have our new Jason White.

George Carlin wrote:

RDW wrote:27 tackles from Christie with 1 missed

We have our new Jason White.

Tony Christie must have come close to setting a record yesterday.

Christie-Dempsey-Darge or Mbawza-Fagerson-Crosbie, Baylis as replacement. Not too shabby going forward. Also Connor Boyle-Ali Miller-Euan Ferrie-Gregor Brown all developing nicely too.

Watched the game from Bali in the wee hours. Thought when Jones scored, it was going to be worth staying up.

Ireland clearly the better side and our inability to just hold the ball cost us. Silly mistakes such as kicking out on the full off the kick-off were completely demoralising.

Building in some pick-and-go's rather than constantly going wide in attack is something I hope Scotland are looking into. So many teams know what is coming that the space/soft shoulders may actually be close to the ruck.

All in all, a return to the bad old days of being outclassed and trying to hold on rather than dictating the flow of the game.