Scotland vs Ireland LIVE rugby: Final score and result from Six Nations game today
Ireland took another step towards the Grand Slam
Wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe scored a try each for Ireland as flyhalf Johnny Sexton became the joint leading scorer in Six Nations history following a pulsating 22-7 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Replacement number eight Jack Conan scored Ireland’s third try as they turned up the heat in the second half despite the loss of both hookers to injury, leading to flanker Josh van der Flier throwing in at the line-out and three props in the front row of the scrum.
Scotland were in the game at halftime as they trailed 8-7 having scored a try through centre Huw Jones, which will give them some confidence heading into the Rugby World Cup where they face Ireland and South Africa in their pool with only two teams to advance to the quarter-finals.
Ireland, who have claimed the Triple Crown and have their sights now set on a Grand Slam, lead the Six Nations table with 19 points from four games, four ahead of second-placed France.
They host England in their final game next Saturday while Scotland welcome Italy.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 70 minutes
Scotland nearly nick the ball at a ruck, but fumble forwards.
Ireland move into the hosts’ 22 with Murrayfield almost silent. Mack Hansen and Jamison Gibson-Park get themselves in a muddle, colliding with one another as the scrum-half tries to draw the wing back to his inside on a switch ball. Scotland’s scrum feed.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 69 minutes
Both sets of forwards oblige and Jamison Gibson-Park is able to make a safe extraction.
Mack Hansen, who has been influential throughout this second half, again injects himself intelligently as Ireland take the easy metres on offer up the left. Flanker-cum-thrower Josh van der Flier goes back to his day job, bashing away a tackler to keep Ireland moving.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 68 minutes
Gregor Townsend looks on glumly as his forwards are again forced into retreat by Ireland’s three prop prongs in the front row. Tom O’Toole is one of them, on for Tadhg Furlong, who had an impressive 65 minutes or so after a couple of months out.
Luke Pearce orders only a reset, and then again as the scrum hits the deck. “Be better” is his pithy instruction.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 67 minutes
A pause in action for a couple more changes, with Hamish Watson on in the Scotland back row. And there’s a return for Robbie Henshaw in the Ireland midfield after a series of injuries - the centre looks in fine fettle, and steps in for Bundee Aki.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 66 minutes
Irish hands pinch the Scotland lineout, and Jamison Gibson-Park hooks a clearance away.
Fraser Brown, on at hooker, finds a teammate with the next throw, but Scotland’s attacking adventures are brief, with Matt Fagerson’s pass rather obviously tossed three yards forward.
Scotland 7-22 Ireland, 65 minutes
Scotland will still feel they can get back in this, with Ireland surely likely to tire given all those forward changes. They earn a soft penalty out of Ryan Baird, who foolishly pushes Finn Russell to floor after the Scotland fly half had released a pass.
A ticking Stuart Hogg is replaced; his 100th cap hasn’t materialised as he would have liked. Blair Kinghorn is on in his stead.
TRY! Scotland 7-20 IRELAND (Jack Conan try, 62 minutes)
Jack Conan powers over!
Ireland are beginning to show their might. This has been outstanding in the last ten minutes or so from the championship leaders, taking complete control in adverse circumstances. They play patiently again inside the Scotland 22, waiting for the spaces to appear. The gap opens on the right edge as Duhan van der Merwe and his chums narrow slightly, with Conan the end man on the Irish line to capitalise, riding contact to add five more points to the Irish tally in the corner.
And that’s a significant moment for Johnny Sexton from the tee - his conversion takes him level with Ronan O’Gara as the all-time record Six Nations points scorer.
Scotland 7-15 Ireland, 60 minutes
Ireland are growing and growing in confidence. Mack Hansen’s linking hands create an overlap and space for James Lowe to stride in to, the wing fending away Kyle Steyn.
He kicks ahead and Scotland have to hurry away a clearance. Ireland ball 20 metres out.
Scotland 7-15 Ireland, 59 minutes
Ali Price is introduced at scrum half for Scotland, with Ben White taken off.
A half charge down of an Ireland clearance grants Josh van der Flier another lineout throw with the rain starting to tumble at Murrayfield.
TRY! Scotland 7-15 IRELAND (James Lowe try, 57 minutes)
Ireland strike!
Talk about thriving in adversity. It all came from Van der Flier’s lineout throw, granting Gibson-Park the platform to lift a high box kick. Hansen’s claim was excellent, and his offload to Johnny Sexton, too, allowing the Irish forwards to come on to the ball in support.
Scotland never quite regathered, with Luke Pearce awarding Ireland an advantage. Gibson-Park keeps the tempo high, picking his moment to flick a long miss pass beyond Ryan Baird and into the leaping hands of James Lowe, who scores in the corner. Sexton converts.
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