➤ The Irish and Scottish teams come out onto the field and suddenly all the nagging doubts are back.
The bookmakers make Ireland the overwhelming favourites – and they don’t often get it wrong – but the fact remains that Scotland is fighting for their survival while Ireland has all but booked their spot in the quarter-finals.
Oh, if only the Springboks could have beaten Ireland, on 23 September, a date that seems so much longer ago than a mere two weeks!
➤ The match starts with Ireland running straight through the Scots backline from the first phase. Ireland leads by five points when James Lowe scores in the corner. The clock has ticked down a mere 90 seconds!
Scotland respond with 12 minutes of relentless attack on the Irish defensive wall but – 18 continuous phases later – they come away empty-handed. Any talk that Ireland may be ready to lose the match is forgotten.
Tragically for Scotland, Jamie Ritchie comes off the field, clearly in severe pain and out of the match.
It takes until the 25th minute for Ireland to make good on their promise of running away with the game. Fullback Hugo Keenan scores, Johnny Sexton converts, and Ireland leads by 12 points.
A mere five minutes later, Scotland is made to look very ordinary when Iain Henderson barges over. With a 19-0 lead, the match is just about beyond question – but Ireland are not done yet. Keenan scores his second and Ireland lead by 26-0 at halftime.
➤ Two minutes into the second half, Scotland’s Ollie Smith is yellow-carded for tripping Johnny Sexton and the Scots are immediately punished when Ireland’s Dan Sheehan scores in the corner. It’s a five-try rout – and it’s not over yet.
Garry Ringrose scores Ireland’s sixth some minutes later.
With 15 minutes to go Scotland come back with two quick tries, one for Ewan Ashman and one for Ali Price. The 14 points make the scoreboard look a little better, but that’s about it.
Scottish dreams are shattered, South African hopes are very much alive, but Ireland has taken an emphatic step towards the William Ellis Cup.
Ireland (6 tries) 36-14 (2 tries) Scotland
