Put them back in their box. The Scotland v Ireland build up thread.

I snuck into the Scottish dressing room there after some of Hoggies St. Tropez and saw this pinned up.

I reckon he's right though - Scottish team at full time Sunday:

WHOOPS

I mean:

Context:

https://twitter.com/offtheball/status/1631049169866743808

Jump_In_Jack

Triple Crown showdown

Eoinbmw

I'd rather we beat the shite out of those yellow bellies with their fake Scottish anthem than win a rugby World Cup!

caoly123

The Scots are the best bunch of thinking they are world beaters .they do some talking for winning **** all .I think Ireland will do them in

Can't agree with most of what's been said so far.

Scottish rugby has been in the toilet since the turn of the century. They won the last 5 nations due to England and Wales result going their way, and haven't won it since, with a couple of wooden spoons thrown in the mix. Have they even come 2nd since then? I don't get this "they think they're the bees knees" stuff, haven't seen/heard much of it at all, either online or in person.

I think we'll beat them, and beat them well. 10-14pts is my prediction. (Gonna back France -3 and Italy as well, I think).

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120331204#Comment_120331204

so are the Irish.

Dubinusa

I wouldn't be dumping on Scotland. They've improved. A blown overlap by Hogg last year and Hogg dropping the pill over the tryline the year before. Hogg doesn't flip his wig at those times.... who knows?

AbusesToilets

Thankfully Hogg is still playing, so we can count on his stalwart defense.

Lil Fred

The Scotch should never be forgiven for not voting for us for the 2023 world cup

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120331333#Comment_120331333

its definitely overblown but i do also remember thinking hogg came across as a bit arrogant in some of his press conferences as captain, when they had generally flattered to deceive

i also think alot of the media bigging them up is actually coming from outside scotland

Eoinbmw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120331472#Comment_120331472

They could not even vote for their own bloody freedom!

Eoinbmw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120331559#Comment_120331559

Arrogant team with an arrogant coach!

Dave_The_Sheep

Now is not the time for reasoned well balanced fair opinions. This is a prematch thread, get your generalising exageration hat on.

All_in_Flynn

Little bit nervous about this one but I do wonder are Scotland flattering to deceive. Whilst they have looked good in the set piece, they look like a team who can be gotten at physically in open play. I've a feeling if they were playing England this weekend they'd be beaten. Got them at the right time.

As long as we get parity at set piece I think we will have too much for them. They concede too many points.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332316#Comment_120332316

If this Irish team can comfortably beat NZ in NZ (and they were comfortable winners in the 3rd Test), then Scotland in Murray field should hold no fears.

Show them the appropriate amount of respect of course, but anything less than a win will be a very disappointing outcome on Sunday.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332316#Comment_120332316

flattering to deceive is spot on. i think theyve benefitted so far from the fact that ireland are the only team playing consistently well at the moment

phog

We have the beating of Scotland and even at their best they're not really a threat unless we gift them a score or blow a scoring chances ourselves.

This is Scotland in Edinburg so they'll have home advantage but they a step or two behind where Ireland are at the moment so a win for them will be a big surprise.

RogerThis

When is the team announcement?

fitz

https://youtu.be/sKiLfH3DVGc

Being Scottish and thinking you're gonna beat this Irish team?

Oh, you better believe that's a paddlin'

cuttingtimber22

Scotland by 8. Unfortunately we will have to play a good chunk of the game with 14.

RichieRich_89

The trouble with Scotland is that it's full of Scots.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332952#Comment_120332952

I’m not sure, our discipline under Farrell, especially as it pertains to cards, has generally been very good.

Always possible a player slightly misjudges something, tho.

pickarooney

I think this is the game everything clicks for Scotland and it will be a one score game decided on the last 5 minutes

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333032#Comment_120333032

And saffers

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333246#Comment_120333246

With finn russell playing there isnt a hope everything clicks, he is as likely to spectacularly give away a try as he is create one.

Its comical how his mistakes in games get completely overlooked. They will replay his 50:22 against france all day but not the simple pass to ramos that put france under the posts.

As long as finn keeps executing the sublime with the terrible scotland and racing will win nawthing

Akrasia

Scotland are like a better Italy. Not a great matchup for Ireland. They will create try scoring opportunities. Usually Scotland ends up butchering most of them but this weekend everyone will have cold hands which evens things out

Will the players used to heated swimming pools in Donnybrook be able to compete with the men who's national flower is the thistle in an arctic blast in Edinburgh?

Madeoface

Hopefully we get our A game on and BP them so they concentrate on beating SA later in the year....

If we're really on a trajectory the aim has to be a convincing win. Close to 60 mins and +10 by the end.

pickarooney

I think the Russell detractors will be put back in their box and if we keep leaving holes in midfield theirs will have a field day. Hansen will need to be at his defensive best; any half-hearted back-tracking will be punished. The same goes for VDM, could be a fascinating match up.

If Ringrose and Henshaw are both there a good portion of Scotland's attack should be nullified. Cold, wet weather could see an increased number of scrums and we won't get any change there. Hope Porter goes well.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333286#Comment_120333286

Sure nobody in ireland ever played rugby in the cold

Didn't realise Townsend has never beaten Ireland as Scotland coach, played 7 lost 7.

Has the team not been leaked this week?

stephen_n

I think we will follow the Leinster blueprint and Russell will be about as effective as he was in Le Harvre. 1 step above useless. Ireland by 10.

A bit of doubt crept in before the Wales game due to the well discussed factors at play running into that match but I'm not going to indulge this time around. Are Scotland really in good form?

• Lost a Summer tour to Argentina (granted without some key players)
• Lost to Australia and New Zealand in the Autumn (albeit played reasonably well in both games)
• Beat an England team that were in total disarray on the opening weekend (England improving since).
• Beat Wales who continue to be in total disarray.
• We're unlucky against France (who struggled against Italy and were well beaten by us).

So where are Scotland?

I think inconsistent is still a fair term to describe them. I think it's reasonable to say they are improved against the top 10 teams albeit I think some of those teams deteriorating has had a part to play. They're not talking themselves up but are certainly getting talked up a good deal (hence the build up thread opener being entirely unfair). I think they'll struggle against Ireland however and I don't think it's going to be particularly close. We were very loose against Italy but we seemed to have gone with a 'let's out punch them approach' with our defence being uncharacteristically porous as a result.

I think against Scotland we'll see a return to that dogged, claustrophobic defence which we leveraged against the All Blacks during the Summer. Scotland's counter maul has been quite impressive so it will be interesting to see if we kick for points with any greater frequency but they are not defending great and their points difference would be in the red only for Wales imploding in Murrayfield.

Ireland will be out of the blocks with the usual ferocity and I'd hope if we build a score we don't throw it away like France did. I'd be confident enough we'll go in ahead at half time and with our fitness in the last quarter I don't see Scotland scoring their way back into it.

Ireland 33 : 18 Scotland.

Dubinusa

I think this will be close. I think the conditions will have an impact. We won't get over them at the scrum and if it's raining it will be a dogfight.

Sexton and Ringer back makes it better!

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335237#Comment_120335237

I'd think poor conditions would suit us far more than them. Scotland couldn't deal with France's power game at all.

lawrencesummers

I think the return of ringrose here will highlight how important he is.

There is no way we would have shipped so many points against italy if he was at 13, its night and day the difference between him and bundee defensively, bundee did a job in rome that he wouldnt have gotten away with against France or england.

So we can go out and score against any team, we are potent from setpiece, lineout, scrum, set play and open play. We can find a way to score against any team and have proven that time and time again.

Its without the ball that ringrose makes us so much better, and i reckon Scotland who are a better team than Italy will not score as much as the italians did primarily because ringrose will be at 13.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335556#Comment_120335556

I'm not sure! We like to move the ball around and poor conditions could dampen that. Either way, there's lads coming in cold and this could take us time to find a rhythm.

AbusesToilets

I'm really looking forward to the defensive display this weekend. I've a feeling the team will have something to prove after the match in Rome

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335570#Comment_120335570

I'd agree with regards Ringrose's importance, but I also think Henshaw would've done a better job defensively from 13 than Bundee did vs Italy. I occasionally think back to the 2021 6 Nations game vs England, where things began to turn for Farrell. Henshaw was superb defensively for us that day from 13, particularly in the first 20 mins when we were up against it.

You have to go back to Nov 2020 for the last time one of Ringrose or Henshaw weren't available for a game vs a Tier 1 team. Hopefully at least 1 will always be available during the RWC.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335665#Comment_120335665

Henshaw is class alright, but the lack of gametime is a worry, he has been out since late November and it will take a few games to get back to where he was.

That said bundee played in Rome with very few minutes under his belt and did a good enough job.

Sangre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120334497#Comment_120334497

agreed. Not sure the Scotland team is that different from all the previous teams that have struggled against Ireland. Who knows, this time might be different but I think that would be a big upset.

as usual all the focus is on Finn but the losing or winning of this game will be the pack as always. Think we should still have the upper hand in particular backrow provided no major scrum issues with ref.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335685#Comment_120335685

Aki is on a hiding to nothing here unless he starts at 13 again, the team as a squad has had two weeks to review and improve their defensive errors from the game in Rome, we wont be as bad again in Edinburgh. If Aki isn't at 13 you'll have posters claiming the defence improved because we didn't have him there without taking into consideration the whole approach for the two weeks leading into the Scottish.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333352#Comment_120333352

I think the Russell detractors will be put back in their box

Absolutely no performance from Russell could put his detractors back in their box, because when the fundamental argument against you is that you are a deeply inconsistent player as prone to moments of insanity as to moments of genius no single match performance can overturn that.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335584#Comment_120335584

We may "like" to move the ball around, but Scotland rely on it.

Assuming those expected to be fit are indeed fit:

Porter

Kelleher

Furlong

Ryan

Henderson

POM

VDF

Doris

JGP

Sexton (c)

Lowe

McCloskey

Ringrose

Hansen

Keenan

Kilcoyne

Sheehan

O'Toole

Baird

Conan

Murray

Byrne

Henshaw

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335852#Comment_120335852

He's been the best OH by a distance so far this 6N (the competition hasn't been great, that said) and another big game could cement his place in the TOTY.

Podge_irl

He has most certainly not been better than Sexton "by a distance".

I think you could make a very solid argument for him being the best 10 however, as always, it is generally far easier to remember his brilliance then his failure to execute more basic elements.

AbusesToilets

His decision making under pressure is inferior to Sexton. He wasted a number of excellent attacking opportunities against France, in addition to chucking the intercept.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335872#Comment_120335872

I think aki starts at 12 all day.

Hes the perfect antidote to tuipolotu.

Its a call then for henshaw or mcloskey on the bench i think.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335665#Comment_120335665

Ringrose and Henshaw really are some of the best defenders around and frankly we are spoiled with those two, plus they're both remarkably resilient and we have both fit most of the time. All that said there's bit of unfair comparison going on with regard to Bundee's display in Rome. He came into 13 without time for any training sessions and it showed in defense a couple of times during the match. Maybe against a better team we would have paid a heavier price but situations like that happen and players are forced to adjust and fit in as seamlessly as possible. Filling in at 13 against an attacking team in form is a very tall order and Bundee did OK considering. He certainly won't have diminished Farrell's opinion of him in Rome.

Ardillaun

Scotland have decent backs these days. Ringrose should help combat the threat of VDM.

I'd have said Aki for 12 but McCloskey has really delivered since the Autumn. I do think Aki is the better 12, but not sure he's in better form.

Am I the only one who thought Aki has predominantly a good game against Italy?