PRIDE AFTER A FALL
Scots come up short in title bid but give world’s best side a run for their money
SCOTLAND’S Six Nations and Triple Crown dream is over but this wasn’t quite the nearly men ending at Murrayfield some had expected.
In the cold light of an Edinburgh afternoon, the fatal blow was delivered by an Irish side which underlined their status as the best on the planet.
For an hour in Edinburgh yesterday, Gregor Townsend’s men more than matched the Grand Slam title favourites only to fall short after a titanic battle.
The dark blues can be more than proud of their role in the clash.
Huw Jones ran in an early try to give the hosts an advantage which fuelled a belief this could be one of the great days for our game.
There was to be no glory but the Scots will now eye World Cup revenge against the Irish in September and there’s also a campaign curtain-closer against Italy to come this Saturday. So no shame, just an agonising feeling of what might have been in a Six Nations story where signs of progress have been aplenty.
This wasn’t a day to dwell on the history books that said, one win over the Irish in the last decade told a story of the size of the challenge. This was all about the present and taking comfort from the form book.
Scotland’s opening wins over England and Wales were all about dynamic swagger and even a loss to France in Paris a fortnight ago didn’t burst the bubble of optimism.
Some context for the size of the occasion could also be found in the fact that Scotland have never kept their title interest alive going into the penultimate Six Nations game.
There was a poignant pre-match minute’s applause in memory of Siobhan Cattigan, the
former Scotland international who died in November 2021.
Then it was all eyes on a fixture which would begin with Stuart Hogg leading the side onto the field as his 100th cap coincided with one of the biggest rugby games for his country this century.
Hogg’s tears during the national anthem were more than understandable.
With only one minute on the clock, the attacking verve which has been the feature of Scotland’s Six Nations campaign fired into life as Jones led a break before being hauled down as he attempted to run clear.
That got the Murrayfield crowd on their feet but there was an anxiety in the sixth minute when Ireland looked to have scored the first try only for Scotland’s quick-line-out to be deemed illegal as the same ball wasn’t used. It was a huge reprieve for the Scots. This would be a contest where Scotland would need to have all the luck going in their favour but the loss of Richie Gray a minute later was a huge blow as the giant line-out caller was replaced by Scott Cummings.
It was followed by a remarkable period of defiance from the Scottish defence as they managed time and again to repel the powerful Irish pack as they pushed towards their line.
But it would end in a 12th-minute penalty as Johnny Sexton drilled over the first points of the afternoon.
Scotland’s response was to race up the field and exert pressure of their own as Hogg was a few metres away from going over in the corner.
After 10 minutes of Irish dominance it allowed the home crowd to believe again and that hope became so much more as Scotland edged ahead in the 17th minute. It came on the back of a ferocious charge on the Irish line which eventually saw Jones batter his way over for the try. Finn Russell added the extras.
The brutal nature of the occasion was shown with the need for no fewer than four injury replacements in the first 25 minutes of action.
Kyle Steyn was then required to win a race with Garry Ringrose as Scotland managed to exit under serious pressure after gifting away possession just before the half-hour mark.
Ireland then scored their first try though Mack Hansen had to wait on the results of a TMO before he could celebrate as he only just managed to touch down in the corner. Sexton was wide with his conversion attempt.
Scotland’s response was swift as Duhan van der Merwe threatened to go over but was held up a few metres from the Irish line.
It was intense, frantic and breathless at both ends of the pitch with no initiative being seized by either side going into the break.
But it was Scotland who ended the half with another close thing metres from the Irish corner.
Momentum continued to swing both ways after the restart but another Irish try in the 57th minute edged the contest away from Scotland.
James Lowe did the damage as he applied a finish to Irish pressure and Sexton converted for an eight-point lead.
That would prove the turning point as another Irish try from Jack Conan quickly followed and Sexton turned the screw with the extras.
That was to be that, with Scotland unable to stage a recovery.