RICHIE DIXON, the Scotland coach, was not so much being deliberately economical with the truth as diplomatic when he said after his team's destruction of Ireland (38-10) at Murrayfield last Saturday "Ireland played very well."

He knew well the task of explaining away heavy defeats. As his captain, Rob Wainwright, put it. "We have been through a difficult time. We felt that the team had not done itself justice in the last few matches."

Perhaps experience has given the Scots a measure of sympathy with Ireland's plight. "Perhaps the turning point was the injury to Jim Staples."

Ireland's newly appointed coach, Brian Ashton, was not in the mood to accept any sympathy or to shelter behind gratuitous comment.

"Quite frankly, Ireland's performance was an embarrassment. No, I do not accept that Jim Staples's injury was a turning point. We should have scored two tries in the early stages and then the fry Scotland scored in the first half was the green light for them to attack in a certain way which hey did all through the second half.

"I am bitterly disappointed in Ireland's second half performance almost to the point of embarrassment. We failed to win any controlled set piece ball and when we did win it what we did with it and the way that our defence operated was way sub standard for any international side.

No room many doubt or misunderstanding in those sentiments, nor any room for argument either about their veracity. But there was more to come.

"Scotland were competent, nothing more than that. We are all in the same division in the championship, we must start competing in that division. This championship has been a roller coaster for Ireland. We made progress in the first match, more progress in the second.

"The third one is a hard one to call because what happened to Ireland also happened to Scotland. We competed against England for 65 minutes and then England's steam roller, or whatever you like to call it, took over after that.

"But let us not fry to hide behind anything, the fact is this performance is a setback."

On Ireland's defensive limitations, Ashton did not hold back. "Scotland found holes in and around the fringes of our ruck and maul defence. Craig Chalmers is a good player at exploiting those situations. You have to defend on both sides.

"Yes, we were blown away in the second half and even in the line out Scotland were far more streetwise. They did remarkably well in interfering on our ball. We did not do so very well on their ball."

The Ireland manager, Pat Whelan, said he and Ashton would sit down in a week and review the championship and plan for the future, including the tour to New Zealand in May.

The third man to join the manager and coach in the new selectorial set up has not yet been decided.

Ireland captain Jim Staples has torn a hamstring and will be out of action for some time. Scrum half Brian O'Meara will be out for three weeks after being concussed, but was able to join his colleagues on Saturday night, as was centre Kurt McQuilkin, who sustained a chest injury which is not likely to keep him out of action long.

An announcement is likely to be made in the next day or two confirming that Sky have secured the exclusive television rights for the Heineken European Cup.