Take this chance to silence O’Driscoll

THERE’S no reason why Scotland can’t beat Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. And don’t let Brian O’Driscoll tell you otherwise.

The Irish legend points out that Gregor Townsend’s team only win at home — and if they’re to gain any real respect they will have to leave the Aviva Stadium with a victory.

‘Until they do that, they’ll be seen as a home team,’ said O’Driscoll (below), who clearly doesn’t fancy the Scots’ chances against a team going for the Grand Slam.

He could yet come to regret his dismissive words this weekend... because this is a match that’s too close to call.

Yes, the Irish are collectively an incredibly impressive unit. But these games are decided on how well the most influential performers play the big occasion. If all of Scotland’s key men hit the heights that they are capable of, then victory can certainly be achieved.

Fly-half Finn Russell can be more than a match for his opposite number, the sublime Johnny Sexton, and a bit of magic from the Scot can turn the match. Scrum-half Greig Laidlaw has better game management than Conor Murray.

Stuart Hogg, as Townsend said at his team announcement, is arguably the best full-back in the world. Certainly superior now to Rob Kearney who is past his best.

The Scotland pack are equal in quality to their Irish counterparts and, in Stuart McInally, they have a hooker in better form than Rory Best.

In the back division, Huw Jones is on fire and can add to his superb Six Nations start by adding to his prodigious try tally. On the downside, Blair Kinghorn, who usually plays at full-back for Edinburgh, will start on the wing in place of the injured Tommy Seymour and the rookie will be put under enormous pressure.

If the win over England at Murrayfield told us anything, though, it’s that Scotland are capable of beating anyone. If they have truly learned the lessons of that dreadful opening match in Cardiff, they can definitely take their form on the road. Don’t imagine the likes of Laidlaw, John Barclay and Ryan Wilson will be quaking in their boots at the prospect of playing in Dublin. Instead, they will look on this match as the perfect occasion to finally consign their poor away record in the Six Nations to history.

Scotland have their best chance of winning across the Irish Sea since that famous day in 2010 when Dan Parks kicked the winning penalty in the last minute.

A modern-day Scotland hero could easily emerge this weekend.

Regardless of what O’Driscoll thinks, a ‘shock’ could be on the cards.