Scotland (9) 18/ Ireland (14) 21 (Final Score)

Ireland ran in three tries to set up a 21-18 victory over Scotland in their Six Nations clash at Murrayfield on Sunday.

The result left the Scots still without a point from three games. Ireland joined Wales and France on four points, two behind leaders England.

Ireland led 21-9 midway through the second half when they looked capable of stretching their advantage.

But a lack of discipline enabled Scotland to close the gap to three points, largely through the accuracy of Chris Paterson, who kicked 15 of their points.

While they finished strongly, it had all started to go wrong for Scotland from the sixth minute when they conceded an early try for the fourth match in succession.

Jamie Heaslip was the scorer and his off-load 22 minutes later presented Eoin Reddan with Ireland’s second.

Ronan O’Gara converted them both but Scotland were able to stay in touch before the interval as Ireland’s indiscipline gave Chris Paterson the chance to kick three penalties.

Ireland’s 14-9 lead did not reflect the extra imagination and purpose they had displayed but the scoreline was given a more realistic look when they exposed Scotland’s defence again while prop Allan Jacobsen was in the sin bin.

O’Gara broke through a tackle by Paterson to score the visitors’ third try in the 53rd minute and O’Gara converted for the 12-point cushion.

Paterson reduced the deficit by kicking two penalties in quick succession and Ireland’s lead was down to three points when Dan Parks added a drop goal.

It left Ireland facing a difficult final 10 minutes, but they held out for a victory that should have been by a far more convincing margin.

Scorers

Scotland : Penalties – Chris Paterson(4),  Dan Parks (1), Drop goal – Dan Parks

Ireland : Tries – Jamie Heaslip, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O’Gara

Conversions :- Ronan O’Gara (3),

Teams:

Scotland:

15 Chris Paterson, 14 Nikki Walker, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Sean Lamont, 11 Max Evans, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 John Barclay, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Alastair Kellock, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Moray Low, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Geoff Cross, 18 Nathan Hines, 19 Richie Vernon, 20 Rory Lawson, 21 Dan Parks, 22 Simon Danielli.

Ireland:

15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O’Gara, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 David Wallace, 6 Sean O’Brien, 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Leo Cullen, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Peter Stringer, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Paddy Wallace.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Andrew Small (England), Pascal Gauzere (France)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)

Preview

Scotland have reunited the ‘Killer Bs’ in an attempt to kick-start its Six Nations campaign with a victory over Ireland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

No.8 Johnnie Beattie will make his first Test start in eight months after recovering from neck surgery, forming part of a back row department that includes John Barclay and Kelly Brown.

The marauding trio impressed in last season’s Six Nations, earning them the ‘Killer Bs’ moniker from the British press, and Scotland will hope they can inspire a turnaround in form after successive defeats to France and Wales in the team’s first two matches this year.

Ireland opened up with a sluggish 13-11 win over Italy in Rome before going down 25-22 at home to France a fortnight ago.

Ireland have recalled veteran flyhalf Ronan O’Gara as they seek to bounce back from the disappointment of defeat to France.

O’Gara, 33, will win his 106th cap after reclaiming his starting place from Jonathan Sexton, as Ireland coach Declan Kidney looks for an away win to reignite his team’s faltering start to the championship.

O’Gara has already made two appearances from the bench in this year’s tournament, coming on to kick the match-winning drop-goal against Italy earlier this month before playing in the 25-22 defeat by France.

Kidney insisted that Sexton had not been dropped for a lack of form, indeed he was one of Ireland’s stronger performers against the French but the Irish coach believes the extra experience of O’Gara will give the 2009 Grand Slam winners a much needed win.

“Jonathan had a very good game against France but Ronan has been playing well too,” said Kidney, who coached O’Gara and his Munster province to two European Cup titles.

“Jonathan was a very good player before we ever met him and he’s improved no end, but I wanted to give this game to Ronan.

“Ronan’s had a fruitful career to date and there’s a lot left in him. I hope he brings himself out there.”

Ireland will be looking for their fifth consecutive win at Murrayfield in the Six Nations on Sunday.

Scotland have only scored 10 tries in 15 matches since Andy Robinson took over as head coach in 2009 and have failed to score a try in nine of those games.