Six Nations: Ireland dig deeper than ever to beat Scotland and set up Grand Slam showdown

Scotland 7 Ireland 22

Ireland had to dig deep, deeper in many respects than for any match in this year’s captivating Guinness Six Nations, but dig deep they did. Withstanding all the slings and arrows flung in their direction, be it Finn Russell and his inventive midfield colleagues, or all manner of injuries, it says everything about this team’s adaptability and quality that they actually sealed a fourth win in four matches almost pulling up.

In so doing, they’ve set up a shot at the Grand Slam at home to England next Saturday. Andy Farrell’s team have learned to embrace disruptions, but not even he could have envisaged a flanker assuming the lineout throwing and a prop playing the last half-hour at hooker.

But three forwards were injured by the 25th minute, and when Ronan Kelleher followed suit, it meant Josh van der Flier took over the throwing while Cian Healy went on at hooker, so operating on whatever little time he has had there in training and the memories of having done so in his schools Junior Cup days with Old Belvedere. His World Cup place is secure now anyway.

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In truth, Ireland’s defending was standoffish and at times even sloppy, particularly in the first half, and their breakdown issues undermined their normal fluency in attack.

Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong put in huge shifts, as did Peter O’Mahony, the outstanding James Ryan (11 tackles, 12 carries for 81 metres) and, of course, the faintly ridiculous Van der Flier, with 18 tackles, none missed and loads of intelligent and effective contributions. A big difference between the sides was the far greater impact of the Irish bench, with Jack Conan and Ryan Baird having big games.

Ireland were, as usual, quickly into their recycling and running rhythm, and Scotland were fortunate when Sheehan burrowed over after Caelan Doris brilliantly read a quick long throw by George Turner, but the officials had noticed the Scottish hooker had used a different ball. So the throw had to be retaken.

A nice strike move led to a wicked grubber in behind by Ringrose, but Ireland failed to maximise a penalty advantage and Sexton settled for a three-pointer.

What’s more, Doris suffered a back injury when hit in the air with that lineout read, and this was compounded by losing Sheehan, by the end of the first quarter, with Iain Henderson soon following.

Scotland then attacked in waves, James Ryan and Sexton combining to tackle Hogg into touch. But after Duhan van der Merwe ran back a Conor Murray box kick, Scotland went through some more high tempo attacking inside the Irish 22. Van der Merwe made more inroads off a Finn Russell offload before pulling the trigger for Huw Jones to score his fourth try of the Championship with a trademark line on to Sione Tuipulotu’s short pass.

[ Scotland v Ireland as it happened: Ireland claim crucial Six Nations victory at Murrayfield ]

Ireland were under stress again soon after, but some good line speed led to Peter O’Mahony and Sexton leading a foot-rush upfield. Murray launched Bundee Aki off a scrum, O’Mahony, Ryan, Jack Conan and Sexton carrying hard before Ryan Baird pulled the ball back for Ringrose, and Hugo Keenan hit Mack Hansen with a brilliant pass. The winger’s finish, with centimetres to spare was all the better given he was being hammered into touch by van der Merwe.

When Hogg slapped the ball from Murray at the base from an offside position, quite astonishingly really, Luke Pearce did not brandish a yellow card. What’s more, Ronan Kelleher’s throw missed Ryan at the front.

Ireland had been indebted to one superb try-saving tackle on van der Merwe by Hugo Keenan before Lowe won a penalty in the jackal and the half ended with another big Keenan tackle on Hogg before Lowe tackled George Turner into touch.

In terms of metres and carries, the first-half stats were very similar, but Ireland missed 18 tackles to Scotland’s seven. Ireland led 8-7 but with three forwards injured, Cian Healy was also rehearsing his lineout throws before half-time on the sidelines, suggesting something was wrong with Kelleher too.

Squeaky-bum territory it seemed at the time. Sure enough, although Kelleher stayed on, Josh van der Flier took the first throw of the second-half, safely to the front. There was malfunction on his next throw before an outstanding jackal penalty by Hansen, but Kelleher soon departed.

With Healy at hooker and both Scotland replacement props on, Ireland shunted the Scottish pack back to earn a penalty deep into the home half. It felt significant at the time and so it proved.

Hansen athletically reclaimed a Jamison Gibson-Park box kick and Ireland hammered at the Scottish line, Lowe scoring from Gibson-Park’s pass with Ireland’s third penalty advantage of the attack.

Yet again, bizarrely, no yellow card but Sexton’s touchline conversion made it a two-score lead.

Not to matter. As the day’s loudest rendition of The Fields echoed around the ground, Hansen came off his wing in trademark style in another lineout launch play to hit Lowe, who fended Kyle Steye before Keenan followed up the winger’s kick to earn an attacking lineout.

Lowe was launched again, up the middle this time, before all three front-rowers carried. Attacking the blindside, Hansen’s lovely skip pass enabled Jack Conan to complete a strong, one-handed finish in fending van der Merwe with his left.

Again, Sexton was unfazed by the Murrayfield boos as he took his time to nail the right touchline conversion this time, so equally Ronan O’Gara’s all-time Championship record of 557 points, and was cheered off by the Irish supporters when replaced by Byrne.

However, palpable worry descended around Murrayfield after Ringrose’s head collided with Blair Kinghorn’s hip in the tackled. So concerned were those in the East Stand who were closest to the incident as Ringrose seemed to into spasm on the ground, whistled at Luke Pearce to stop the game as the medics began to treat the Irish centre.

After a lengthy stoppage, Ringrose was taken off on a motorised stretcher, his head immobilised, but could be seen to raise his thumb to the crowd as each Irish player went over to him in turn.

Despite that, Ireland might have sealed a bonus point with one of the tries of the season, Lowe countering from deep, hitting Gibson-Park on the edge whose brilliant gather and run was augmented by a stunning pass inside to the supporting Ryan.

But, looking set to score until Steyn’s recovering tackle, his attempted offload for a Lowe dot down went forward.

A perfect 20 points from 20 would have been nice, but no biggie. Ireland have maintained grander ambitions.

Scoring sequence: 12 mins Sexton pen 0-3; 17 mins Jones try, Russell con 7-3; 28 mins Hansen try 7-8; (half-time 7-8); 57 mins Lowe try, Sexton con 7-15; 62 mins Conan try, Sexton con 7-22.

SCOTLAND: Stuart Hogg (Exeter); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow), Huw Jones (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ben White (London Irish); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Graham Turner (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow); Richie Gray (Glasgow), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs); Matt Fagerson (Glasgow), James Ritchie (Edinburgh)(capt), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow).

Replacements: Scott Cummings (Glasgow) for R Gray (6 mins), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow) for Schoeman, Simon Berghan (Glasgow) for Z Fagerson (both 54 mins), Fraser Brown (Glasgow) for Turner, Ali Price (Glasgow) for White (both 58 mins), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) for (65 mins), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) for M Fagerson (69 mins), Chris Harris (Gloucester) unused.

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Johnny Sexton (Leinster)(capt), Conor Murray (Munster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ulster), James Ryan (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster).

Replacements: Jack Conan (Leinster) for Doris (13 mins), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster) for Sheehan (19 mins), Ryan Baird (Leinster) for Henderson (25 mins), Cian Healy (Leinster) for Kelleher (49 mins) Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) for Murray (54 mins), Tom O’Toole (Ulster) for Furlong (65 mins), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster) for Aki (67 mins), Ross Byrne (Leinster) for Sexton (71 mins).

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)