Satisfactory start as Ireland lay down an early marker

Ireland 28 Scotland 6

A satisfactory start for Ireland; no more, no less. Ultimately, once Ireland sorted out the breakdown – where the Scots gave them some grief in the first half – then the difference in skill and quality came through and they pulled away to win by three tries to nil and 22 points, thereby assuming leadership of an embryonic table.

The feel-good factor has to be tempered with the certainty that back-to-back reigning champions, Wales, will pose an altogether different array of problems than a somewhat limited and toothless Scotland, whose attacking game especially isn’t in the same orbit.

For most of the first half and a little bit beyond, Scotland made it tough going for Ireland.

But when the going gets tough and all that, and no-one responded to the challenge more effectively than Peter O’Mahony. His work at the breakdown was the best of any Irish player and along with three turnover penalties and a line-out steal, there was his usual hard carries and tackling.

Indeed, despite missing arguably three first-choice forwards given the absence of Sean O’Brien and Donnacha Ryan as well, Ireland’s set-piece game was very strong. Their two tries either side of half-time – championship minutes – emanated from a lineout against the head and a scrum against the head; the first courtesy of Tuohy the second seemingly a combination of Rory Best and Cian Healy.

Crisp passing

Healy and Jamie Heaslip looked in good nick too, with influential games, and Chris Henry defended very strongly.

Aside from his crisp passing, Conor Murray’s value was highlighted with an improved kicking game, especially his long touch finders, and his box kicks were brilliantly chased by Andrew Trimble and Dave Kearney. Behind them, Rob Kearney was excellent, clearly revelling in the freer attacking role afforded him by Schmidt.

Jonny Sexton’s all-round game, a five out of six goal-kicking return and the way he grew into the contest reaffirmed that Ireland have the best outhalf in the championship – and with only Rhys Priestland for a serious rival.

That Ireland finished up with a 59 per cent share of possession demonstrated how much they dominated the second half, given the Scots had 59 per cent of the first. The tone was set by the visitors going through 11 phases at the very start of the game, taking the ball hard into contact and confident of their ability to recycle the ball, even if they lacked a cutting edge. It didn’t help that Greig Laidlaw hit the outside of the upright with an ensuing 40 -metre penalty.

Admittedly, Ireland’s defence looked a little ragged when it was stretched, Stuart Hogg slicing through the middle on one occasion and linking with Duncan Weir only for Murray to intervene as a sweeping scrum-half, as he does so well, and O’Mahony to engineer the turnover penalty.

Cue Ireland’s kick-chase game. Trimble and Luke Marshall nailing Hogg on receiving a Sexton bomb gave them their first ‘in’ into the game and a 15 metre lineout drive and good pressure by Healy on Moray Low led to the opening penalty by Sexton when Low was penalised for not rolling away.

Quick ball

Ireland were struggling to generate quick ball and sustained phases, much less open up the Scottish defence, although after another Trimble chase, O’Driscoll freed his hands in the tackle but the ball was too low for Henry to gather.

After Laidlaw and Sexton exchanged further penalties there followed Ireland’s and the game’s longeur, during which a combination of Heaslip and Dave Kearney, and then O’Mahony and Murray, forced Dave Denton into touch by the corner flag.

Satisfactory start as Ireland lay down an early marker