THE Ireland Schools will be seeking to embellish a superb record against their Scottish counter parts when the sides meet at The Mardyke, Cork this afternoon, in what will be Ireland's opening encounter in this season's schools international series.
Ireland will not alone be in pursuit of a 10th successive win over the Scots, but since the countries first met at this level in 1977. Scotland has won just once, 9-3 at Lansdowne Road in 1985. The statistics are deeply impressive from an Ireland perspective, played 16 won 15 and lost just one.
This afternoon the Irish youngsters will consequently be hoping - and will be favourites to achieve the 16th victory and so get off to the right start in pursuit of the triple crown, a feat twice achieved by Ireland in the last seven years - in 1990 and again more recently in 1993. England in Hull next Wednesday and Wales in Belfast on Wednesday week will be Ireland's other two assignments.
Scotland go into the encounter having previously lost to Wales and last week, to England by a 50-7 scoreline in Hawick. That was a defeat of comparable nature to that inflicted on the Scots on their last visit to Cork in 1982. On that occasion. albeit at a different venue Musgrave Par, the Ireland boys scored a record win by 42 points to nil.
Following that defeat by England last week, the Scots have made three changes, and a positional alteration. Marcus Di Rollo moves from wing to centre, and Gregor Lawson comes in on the left wing. In the pack, Alan Lawson and Craig Buchanan are brought in at hooker and tight head prop respectively. In fact all three who are brought in came on as replacements during the match against England.
While the Irish would be content with a win of lesser proportions this afternoon to that achieved when the countries last met in Cork. Ireland should prove to strong for the visitors. Six of the Blackrock College side that played so splendidly in winning the Leinster Schools Senior Cup last month are in the team. Two of that sextet, hooker Peter Smyth and number eight Leo Cullen were on the side that defeated Scotland 23-29 in Balgray last season.
The Ireland pack looks especially formidable and the back five could prove very influential. The second row pair Peter Bracken and Robert Casey are both very good in the line out, and the back row of Tim Cahill. Cullen another adept at winning line out possession - and Barry Gibney is a very well balanced unit.
