Ireland 36 Scotland 0 (Full-time)
Right then, after a thrilling, if ultimately disappointing evening for Ireland, we bid you adieu. We leave you with John O’Sullivan’s match report of Ireland’s victory over Scotland.
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It’s all over. England have won, Ireland are denied a third consecutive title. Agonising for Richie Murphy’s side.
Full-time: France 31 England 45
England have scored again! France are imploding playing with 14-men. It looks like Ireland will be denied the title.
France 31 England 45
Penalty try for England! France pull down a maul and England go into a seven-point lead. Plus, France are down to 14. Not good news for Ireland.
France 31 England 38
England hit back! The scrumhalf scores under the posts after a break from his forwards. France are screaming for a forward pass but the officials are happy. They’re level with 20 minutes remaining!
France 31 England 31
France have knocked over a penalty to stretch their lead out to seven points.
France 31 England 24
You cannot take your eyes off this game. Just as France look set to score again, England go the length of the field with an intercept score.
France 28 England 24
FRANCE HIT BACK!
At their frantic, offloading best, France score to extend their lead within minutes of conceding. It’s now 28-19 in favour of France. You could hear the Irish cheers from the changing room in Cork.
England have scored in Pau! They now trail France by just two points - 21-19.
They’ve now scored three tries with most of the second half to go. You’d think they’ll secure a bonus point, so Ireland need France to win full stop. An England win with a bonus point is no good to Ireland. An England win without a bonus point means points difference comes into it.
Good news for Ireland at half-time in France. A reminder, if England lose, Ireland win the U20 Six Nations.
It was frustrating at times, errors aplenty, but Ireland stay resilient to eventually work their way to a dominant performance. In the end, the Irish bench had a big impact, more so than their Scottish counterparts, powering their way to a handful of late tries that could prove crucial in the context of the championship.
Jack Murphy was excellent as his kicks in behind gave Ireland impetus whenever the attack faltered. Evan O’Connell was named player of the match. He marshalled the lineout excellently and came up with a handful of big carries when his team needed them. Sean Edogbo was good in the carry, as was Danny Sheehan with his impetus off the bench.
That was an immense battle. Scotland came out firing, they were really physical. I was so proud of the lads for the effort they put in today and to get five tries was pretty special. We went away from ourselves a small bit in that first half. Now it’s just a waiting game to see what happens.
— Ireland captain Evan O'Connell
TRY DANNY SHEEHAN
Ireland’s decision to keep going is vindicated. Treacy and Naughton are prominent after regathering a chip in behind. Ireland inch their way forward from there, Sheehan eventually barrelling his way over with the help of latches from two teammates. It looked like he was held up but the referee got his nose right into the pile of bodies and awards the try. Murphy converts with the final play of the game.
Full-time: Ireland 36 Scotland 0
81 mins: Ireland get a penalty for offside and they will keep playing. Instead of ending the contest, they kick down the line, earning a lineout close to halfway.
80 mins: Scotland grubber dangerously in behind. O’Connor comes across to deal and spills into touch. Scotland have time for one last attack. No they won’t! O’Connell pinches the lineout. The clock is in the red, will Ireland keep playing?
77 mins: BONUS POINT TRY! Scotland can’t keep out the short carries as Edogbo barges his way over from close range. Ireland have the bonus point, can they add another score in case points difference decides the title?
Murphy converts.
Ireland 29 Scotland 0
76 mins: CHANCE BACK ON! Ireland blow through the Scottish frontrow and win a penalty. They’ll get another chance to tap and go from 5m out.
74 mins: Ireland nearly go from end to end. Loose passing inside the Ireland 22 sees McLaughlin hack it downfield. Ireland get to it first in the Scotland 22, and despite some scrappy offloading Ireland hang on and power their way to within inches of the line. Scotland dive in off their feet and Ireland get a penalty.
Ireland will tap and go...
CHANCE WASTED! Ireland manage to spill the ball as Sheehan takes his eye off the ball trying to scoop it from the back of a breakdown. Big chance gone.
TRY DANNY SHEEHAN
The substitute hooker gets on the end of a lineout maul that rumbles over the Scotland line. Ireland need one score for that all important bonus point score, and they have nine minutes to get it!
Jack Murphy lines up the conversion...over she goes.
Ireland 22 Scotland 0
68 mins: Colbert soars brilliantly through the air to gather a Murphy cross-kick but he can’t hang on as he comes to deck. Scotland clear but Ireland will have a lineout close to the 22.
Ireland lose the lineout but get a penalty when the Scotland forwards are caught offside off a poor box kick. To the corner Ireland go.
67 mins: Errors are still a hallmark of this Irish performance. De Klerk does initially well to suck in two defenders, but his offload fails to find a green jersey, instead rolling into touch. If it went to hand, Ireland had an opportunity to break and maybe score.
Yellow card Scotland!
Wow, out of nowhere the visitors are down to 14. It’s actually Scotland’s best passage of attacking play all night, going from flank to flank with quick ball as they start to stress the Irish defence. A poor kick in behind kills that momentum when McLaughlin gathers and calls for a mark. However, when trying to go quickly, Monroe Job smashes the wing back. He was nowhere near 10m back, so it’s an easy decision to give him a card.
Meanwhile France have scored again in Pau! It’s now 14-5 to the French, a scoreline Ireland will be very happy to see.
62 mins: That’s fantastic from McClean. Looking to field a kick inside his own 22 under pressure, he deftly evades the chase of McLaughlin before launching a booming clearance downfield.
TRY EVAN O’CONNELL
The captain dots down. An inside ball to McLaughlin sets it all up. The wing pops up again to take a good pass from de Klerk to break into the 22. Ireland stay tight and patient from then on, eventually working their way up to the line where O’Connell bashes over. Murphy pulls his conversion wide.
Ireland 15 Scotland 0
56 mins: Scotland back to their defensive best. Ireland struggle to make any ground for 10+ phases. After a Coffee snipe, O’Connor tries to take the ball up but he’s isolated and Scotland swoop for the turnover. In Pau, France have hit back and now lead against England. That’s better news for Ireland!
Less good news is that Hugh Gavin, Ireland’s best ball-carrier, limps off. Davy Colbert replaces him.
53 mins: Ireland are starting to make a bit more ground now. McLaughlin and then McKillop do some damage before Douglas, so good at the breakdown in the first half, this time is pinged on the floor. Murphy kicks into the 22.
50 mins: Much like Scotland’s first half frontrow change had a big impact, new Ireland tighthead Bell wins a scrum penalty with his first involvement. Murphy calls for the tee, strange decision given Ireland need a bonus point, but he splits the uprights. Ireland have a two-score lead.
Ireland 10 Scotland 0
48 mins: Errors continue to hurt Ireland. This time Edogbo spills when trying to gather a difficult pass from Gavin. Ireland won’t get their much-needed bonus point like this!
A change has been made in the frontrow, with Boyd off for Patreece Bell.
44 mins: Another chance goes begging. Murphy’s chip allows Gavin to crash into the 22. O’Connell makes further ground but scrumhalf Coffey is stripped of the ball when he tries to play it quickly.
In further bad news, Luke Murphy limps off, it looks to be a lower limb injury. James McKillop is on for his U20 debut.
42 mins: CHANCE! Ireland have butchered a try. Gavin breaks and offloads beautifully, sending McLaughlin away. He needs to find hooker Walker on his outside to send him over the line, but the pass is in front of his man and it sails into touch. Huge chance missed.
Meanwhile, England have scored early and they lead France 5-0. Not good news for Ireland.
41 mins: We’re back underway as the second half starts in Cork. England have just started their contest with France, we’ll keep an eye on it. Meanwhile Jack Murphy kicks off for Ireland and Scotland gather inside their own 22.
Half-time: Ireland 7 Scotland 0
A frustrating 40 minutes for Richie Murphy’s side. They’ve had plenty of opportunities inside the 22 thanks to Scottish ill-discipline, but thanks to handling errors and some outstanding defensive breakdown work, they have not been able to put this game to bed. The only score so far, which was brilliantly taken, came in transition when catching Scotland cold after they coughed the ball up.
The scrum is also a big issue for Ireland. Deans, the replacement Scotland loosehead, was brought on early and he has been dominant, winning multiple penalties at that set piece.
40 mins: Ireland finally get a bit of go-forward thanks to Edogbo and Luke Murphy. McClean is caught offside for Scotland. Ireland have a decision to make with a kick in front of the posts and they go to the corner.
The attack comes to nothing. Ireland are knocked back at the maul and then Boyd gets caught isolated for a holding on call. Douglas again the man to frustrate Ireland, that’s six penalties they’ve given away now as Scotland get the ball off the park for half-time.
37 mins: Half a chance for Ireland as Gavin’s long, wide pass sends McLaughlin away. He tries to kick in behind after drawing up the Scottish backfield but it slices off the outside of his boot and into touch.
34 mins: Wow. This time Ireland get the penalty at the scrum. It goes down on the far side and the Scottish tighthead, McVie, is the man penalised. Against the run of play, but Ireland survive.
32 mins: Ireland don’t give away a penalty at the scrum, but they do in defence as they creep offside, rendering de Klerk’s turnover obsolete. Scotland opt for another scrum metres away from the try line.
30 mins: Another spill, from Hart again. Scotland didn’t have clean ball at the lineout, but they did work a few decent carries to get close to the line, only for Hart’s spill to cost them. Not for long, though, as the Irish scrum once again coughs up a penalty. This is fast becoming a major, major problem for Ireland.
29 mins: Another Scotland scrum penalty. That early frontrow change really is working wonders for them. McClean kicks the penalty into the 22.
28 mins: A bout of kick tennis ends when McLaughlin’s chip and chase allows him to sprint into the backfield. His pace means he only has one man to beat, but he slips on the Musgrave Park surface, costing him a chance to beat the fullback in a footrace. Ireland go wide thereafter but spill it forward.
25 mins: Another Scottish handling error, and it’s the fullback again. McLaughlin grubbers in behind and Browne spills while trying to scoop it off the deck. Another scrum upcoming and Scotland make a change in the frontrow.
Smyth is gone at loosehead, Robbie Deans on to replace him. The change works beautifully as Deans obliterates the Irish frontrow to win a scrum penalty.
24 mins: This time Scotland are loose in possession. First of all the pass off a lineout to scrumhalf Patterson goes to deck, before Hart loses it in contact. Ireland earn the scrum.
TRY HUGO MCLAUGHLIN
It’s taken 20 minutes, but Ireland are up and running. Murphy puts up a high bomb which Browne spills in the Scottish backfield. From there, Edogbo takes it up for Ireland and they cut Scotland apart. Gavin takes the ball from O’Connell and with space out wide, he feeds Ward who in turn offloads to McLaughlin to score in the corner. Brilliant score.
Jack Murphy converts beautifully from the touchline.
Ireland 7 Scotland 0
19 mins: Ireland can’t hold onto their own ball inside the 22 and it’s becoming a problem. The lineout ball is good, but Luke Murphy loses it when carrying in the midfield channel. Thompson forced the spill in contact. Scotland’s last-gasp defence remains strong!
18 mins: Brilliant from Treacy. After going close in attack a few minutes earlier, this time in defence he pops up to pilfer the ball on the floor. Scotland enter through the side to try and clear him out, allowing Murphy to once again kick into the 22 with a penalty.
17 mins: Scotland’s last-ditch defence is phenomenal. Boyd makes a burst to get within 5m of the line, but Freddie Douglas gets his hands on the ball, winning a penalty to bail his side out of trouble. Frustration for Ireland.
16 mins: Ireland are untidy with the ball as it squirts out the side of a ruck. Scotland dive on the ball and clear. Ventisei finds a lovely touch up in the Irish half, the only problem was the ball was passed back into the 22 to him. A stroke of fortune for Ireland as they are gifted a lineout inside the 22.
14 mins: CHANCE! That was brilliant. De Klerk sends Treacy away with a deft pass under pressure from the defence. It is slightly behind the wing, Treacy taking it one-handed with some lovely skill, before chipping in behind. He looks to be odds on to win the race to the ball, but McClean comes out of nowhere to save Scotland and dot down over his own line.
Back we go for a breakdown penalty, Murphy kicking Ireland once again into the 22.
13 mins: Scotland are going nowhere in attack, even with a big carry from Thompson as he shrugs off Murphy. Eventually, they resort to the high ball but Ireland take it safely, earning a penalty when the kick chase dives in off their feet.
10 mins: O’Connor looks to have gotten away with one there. Scotland clear from deep, a booming kick over the fullback’s head. It likes like he spills it forward as he looks to regather, only for the referee o say it goes backwards and play to continue.
However, O’Connor doesn’t get away with it seconds later, launching a kick out on the full. Scotland lineout back up towards the Ireland 22.
8 mins: Ireland are shunted back well out of the 22 by a combination of sloppy hands and sturdy Scottish defence. Murphy kicks for de Klerk to chase, he wins the ball in behind but it just doesn’t sit up for him.
7 mins: Ireland keep the pressure on at the scrum. Morris makes some good ground carrying off the base but McClean’s clearance is rushed. Ireland have a lineout still inside the 22.
5 mins: Scotland survive. O’Connell takes a short lineout and powers up towards the line. However, his body height in the carry means Scotland can get under him, hold him up, and win the scrum.
3 mins: Hugo McLaughlin puts in a thumping kick into the Scotland 22. O’Connor fields when Scotland return the favour and Ireland take it up beyond halfway. Ward puts in a huge carry to shrug off a defender before Gavin follows suit. His offload is beautiful as he finds Treacy but Ireland spill it forward. Not the end product they wanted, but that looked very good initially.
There was a penalty advantage, Jack Murphy finds a brilliant touch inside the 22.
2 mins: Decent start from McClean. He puts boot to ball after a few phases, finding touch inside the 22. Evan O’Connell safely takes the ball for Ireland and they threaten to break out of the 22. Eventually, Oliver Coffey clears.
1 min: We’re underway in Cork! McClean for Scotland, the late inclusion, kicks things off as the ball sails towards the 22. Ireland safely secure the high ball before setting up to clear. Jack Murphy fails to find touch and Scotland run it back past the 10m line.
Right then. Anthems are done, stands are full, it’s almost time for kick-off...
Scotland have made a late change. Andy McClean starts at 10 instead Isaac Coates, who has pulled out injured. Kerr Yule comes onto the bench.
The atmosphere is building in Cork...
As John O’Sullivan mentioned in his preview, Musgrave Park in Cork is sold out for this one.
The game has been sold out for a couple of weeks and given what has become a special and cherished atmosphere in Cork, Ireland are expected to deliver a winning display, and will then have to wait to take in what happens in Stade du Hameau in Pau.
— John O'Sullivan
Some pre-match reading for you. John O’Sullivan is our reporter covering tonight’s clash, and in his preview, he has Ireland as comfortable favourites.
Here is the Scotland team.
Scottish head coach Kenny Murray has made wholesale changes from the Italy match - where his charges succumbed to defeat. Some are due to injury in the case of secondrow Ryan Burke and Fergus Watson. Jack Hocking, Gavin Parry, Luke Coulston, Murdoch Lock and Matthew Urwin are rested. Jack Brown will make his debut from fullback while Marcus Brogan, Andrew McLean and Finn Douglas are also set to win their first caps off the bench.
Ireland head coach Richie Murphy has made two personnel and one positional change to the side that drew with England last time out. Seán Edogbo and Henry Walker are restored to the Irish starting team while Joe Hopes reverts to secondrow in place of Alan Spicer, who had an excellent game against England.
Keep an eye out for Connacht centre Hugh Gavin who has been an excellent ball carrier so far in this competition. Ben O’Connor comes highly rated from schools rugby and from Cork’s minor hurling panel. Jack Murphy, son of the coach, has also impressed at outhalf, particularly with his kicking game which earned plenty of scoring opportunities vs England.
Here is the table ahead of tonight’s three games. After last weekend’s thrilling 32-32 draw, Ireland are one point behind England on bonus points. If Ireland win tonight and France do them a favour against the English, Ireland will back up their Grand Slams in 2022 and 2023 with the 2024 title.
If Ireland win with a bonus point and England win without scoring four tries, Ireland could still overtake them if they overcome a points difference of 17. That is feasible given Ireland are expected to win handsomely tonight, but it is not the most likely of scenarios.
Ireland will be hoping, plain and simple, for a France win.
Good evening all and welcome to live coverage of tonight’s rugby action! It’s Ireland vs Scotland in the U20 Six Nations with Richie Murphy’s side looking to secure a third consecutive championship crown.
Nathan Johns here to guide you through all the action. Kick-off is at 7pm and we’ll be building up to it with plenty of preview content until then.
