Memory Lane

Murrayfield, September 22, 2001: Scotland 32, Ireland 10: Stuffed. Mugged. Call it what you like but it hurt even more because it wasn't supposed to happen.

Scotland had yet to begin their downward descent when Ireland arrived in Edinburgh for this rearranged (due to foot-and-mouth disease) Six Nations match. Warren Gatland's team had just completed back-to-back defeats of France in early spring, to prove that delightful day in Paris 12 months previously wasn't a dream.

Anyway, the team was evolving and looked as strong as it had done in the professional era. The hype was almost equivalent to the present levels. Shane Horgan, at centre, Ronan O'Gara and Guy Easterby were supposed to take a talented back line on to another level. All had false dawns.

The pack, which oozed quality, included hard nuts like Keith Wood, Peter Clohessy and Jeremy Davidson, as well as four of the current side.

With the kick-off began the nightmare. Brian O'Driscoll was gang-tackled in midfield, an area that was split open numerous times by John Leslie and James McLaren, while Geordan Murphy and Denis Hickie became spectators out wide. Ireland registered their first score after 50 minutes via an O'Gara penalty but Leslie soon grabbed the Scots' third try to end the contest.

The unfamiliarity of September rugby was a partly legitimate excuse. This was actually a decent, and carefree, Scottish side as they combined a Southern Hemisphere blend (Leslie, James McLaren and Glen Metcalfe) with rising stars like Chris Paterson and Simon Taylor, while Gregor Townsend and Tom Smith provided the experience.

At least it woke Ireland up for the subsequent trip to Cardiff, followed by the Wood-inspired victory over England, but with the beating went the Grand Slam aspirations for another year.

SCOTLAND: G Metcalfe; J Steel, J McLaren, J Leslie, C Paterson; G Townsend, B Redpath; T Smith, G Bulloch, M Stewart, J White, S Murray, G Simpson, S Taylor, B Pountney (capt). Replacements: S Scott, G Graham, S Grimes, J Petrie, A Nicol, D Hodge, A Henderson.

IRELAND: G Dempsey; G Murphy, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, D Hickie; R O'Gara, G Easterby; P Clohessy, K Wood (capt), J Hayes, J Davidson, M O'Kelly, S Easterby, A Foley, K Dawson. Replacements: P Stringer, D Humphreys, K Maggs, F Sheahan, E Byrne, G Longwell, D Wallace.

Head To Head: Chris Cusiter v Peter Stringer

This will surely grab Clive Woodward's attention. With the Cork man coming nicely into his prime it would be a cruel blow if the young Borders upstart was to steal his plane ticket to New Zealand. Granted, both may travel.

Cusiter nailed the number nine shirt to his back during the autumn internationals and, as Keith Wood put it over the weekend, he lived up to the hype in Paris. Gary Armstrong, Andy Nicol and Brian Redpath are fading into the background.

The done-to-death cliché about Stringer being a mere silver service deliveryman took a dent on Sunday when his lightning quick reflexes brought Ireland's second try. One arrow he will need to add to the quiver is the ability to disrupt Cusiter's flow. Do that and his position in the current pecking order will improve.

The Lions Trial

Throughout the Six Nations, this column will select a Test XV, based purely on weekend performances. This week's obvious selections are match-winners Brian O'Driscoll and Gavin Henson ("Shave away Gavin, shave away," said a jubilant Eddie Butler, in reference to Henson's leg-shaving habits, after he bisected the uprights on 77 minutes to fell England). Martyn Williams excelled in the same game, while Scotland's Jason White enhanced his reputation as the game's hardest hitter. With Jonny Wilkinson still crocked, no outhalf put his hand up.

LIONS XV: Geordan Murphy; Denis Hickie, Brian O'Driscoll, Gavin Henson, Shane Williams; AN Other, C Cusiter; Gethin Jenkins, Gordon Bulloch, Julian White; Ben Kay, Malcolm O'Kelly; Jason White, Joe Worsley, Martyn Williams.

Competition

To celebrate the launch of their new website (www.obsport.ie) and their continued sponsorship of Irish women's rugby, O'B Sport, official merchandisers and kit sponsors of the team, are giving 10 readers the chance to win official replicas of the Irish Women's Jersey. To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question: What does the O'B logo originate from? Send your answers and your contact details to info@obsport.ie.

Bookies' Corner

According to Paddy Power, Ireland slipped into pole position at 4 to 1 on for the Grand Slam, with France 5 to 1 and Wales 7 to 1. England are out of the Slam and Triple Crown running so they moved out alongside Wales as 4 to 1 shots for the championship.

Yet it is Wales who are installed as favourites for a Triple Crown (11 to 8) after their victory over England. Ireland are now 9 to 4 for the Triple repeat, while the Scots stay out at 50 to 1, but the injury prognosis on Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy may change all that again.