SCOTS SERVE UP A GALA OPENING
Laidlaw’s men start and finish with a bang to leave Irish reeling
THE potential of a new Scotland team was realised at Murrayfield yesterday in a stunning three-try first half and a cool finish to launch their RBS Six Nations Championship with a first opening-day victory in 11 long years.
After Glasgow’s recent stunning success over Leicester in the European Champions Cup, there was a new hope bubbling around Greig Laidlaw’s team, and Warriors trio Jonny Gray, Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg — who scored two brilliant tries — were at the heart of what was only their fourth victory over Ireland in 17 championships.
Hogg’s tries won him the Man of the Match award, while Alex Dunbar’s clever lineout touchdown on the half-hour earned even Irish plaudits.
But the statistics that revealed Scotland made more than 180 tackles to Ireland’s 107, and Jonny Gray 28 — a Scottish Six Nations record — was as significant in the home team’s victory.
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland started the match as favourites, on account of them having proven their form with a first Southern Hemisphere treble in 2016, while Scotland’s was still of the ‘potential’ variety. When Ireland exploded into the second half and scored tries through Iain Henderson and Paddy Jackson, the fly-half converting both, Scotland’s 21-8 half-time lead was suddenly gone.
The Scottish fans, who have watched Irish domination in the fixture over the past 20 years, will have feared an agonising re-run. However, on this occasion, the men in blue proved they are a different Scotland team.
They possess belief buoyed by the emergence of genuine world-class talents. At a packed Murrayfield yesterday, Laidlaw’s side — the captain kicking two crucial late penalties — held the aces this time.
It had not looked that way when the Ireland pack took a grip of the early scrums, drilling Scotland backwards and winning three penalties.
But as the half rolled on, that proved to be the only area of Irish success, their lineout coming under pressure from Jonny and Richie Gray. The Irish back row was then halted at every turn as the Scots trio outplayed them on the ground.
The Scottish defence held firm and the pace and intensity of the home backs left the visitors too often grasping at thin air.
The forward battle was tight and bone-jarring. Ireland were never subdued but when Scotland secured ball, they had one thought on the mind — move it.
And when Russell found Huw Jones or Hogg, it was like an electric current coursing through the Scots team and into the stands.
Russell’s passes brought Jones, Hogg and Sean Maitland into the game early on and when they seized on a loose ball on halfway, it set up the game’s opening try.
Scotland’s lineout was strong and when the forwards were repelled after a series of close-range drives, Laidlaw moved the ball right. Russell’s pass hit the ground but that served to pull centre Garry Ringrose out of position. He slipped and Hogg picked up and sprinted over the try line from 15 metres.
Ireland came back strongly but with Jonny Gray immense at the heart of Scotland’s defence, the hosts answered everything.
Their reward was swift. From a lineout on the right, brilliantly taken by Richie Gray and rescued by Laidlaw, they attacked down the left. Russell found Jones. He fed Hogg and the duo’s pace had Ireland struggling to cover.
It created a two-on-one, with Maitland outside and Hogg superbly dummied to the winger, sending Rob Kearney wide before sprinting through the gap left by his opposite number for his second try.
Laidlaw’s conversion sent Scotland into a 14-0 lead with 22 minutes on the clock, and Murrayfield swayed to a chorus of Flower of Scotland.
A major concern for Vern Cotter and his coaches has been the restarts and how easily Ireland were able to return to the home 22 after a score.
And they did make it count when Keith Earls grasped a pass via the hands of Seymour to dive into the corner for an Irish try.
Scotland’s response was just as clinical. Russell’s grubber kick forced Simon Zebo to carry into touch and the Scots struck with a deft lineout move. Dunbar appeared in the middle of it and the Irish failed to mark him. Ross Ford — now on for the injured Fraser Brown — was inch-perfect with a throw, which Dunbar caught and dived over.
Jackson reduced the deficit with a 40-metre penalty in the 34th minute but the strength and technique in Scotland’s defence ensured the hosts finished the half on the front foot.
They might have had the bonuspoint try before half-time had Kearney not timed a thumping tackle on Hogg perfectly, or Russell and Dunbar not forced passes, that led to a Zebo interception.
The second half, however, was a very different story. The visitors tightened up their defence, closing the door to the wings for Russell, contesting the breakdown and holding on to ball far better.
Now we were starting to see the quality of a side that convincingly beat New Zealand in the autumn.
Scotland lost Russell briefly for a head-injury assessment and then conceded a try to Henderson.
They then endured a series of nervy moments as Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip and Kearney fluffed try-scoring chances, Scotland’s defence — including two touchdownsaving interventions by Maitland — doing just enough to hold out.
The green waves of attack kept on and Jackson touched down, with his conversion nudging Ireland into the lead for the first time, 22-21, with just over an hour played.
Now Scotland faced the composure test — and this time they passed it. There was a sense Laidlaw and his leaders knew what they must do.
Jonny Gray, Zander Fagerson and John Barclay carried ball to earn the territory and a penalty that Laidlaw converted with seven minutes left.
With the home fans wondering if Scotland could hang on, Laidlaw and Co showed their steel with a strong finish. They played the clock until an almighty roar met refree Romain Poite’s whistle for another Scotland penalty wide on the left.
Laidlaw indicated the posts, knowing he could use up the final minute in the kick. He connected perfectly and the stadium erupted.