Scots fall just short against lacklustre Irish

SCOTLAND 22

Tries: Cowan, Pyrgos, Horne. Cons: Horne, Jackson. Pen: Horne.

SCOTLAND ended up on the losing side in their first Rugby World Cup warm-up match, but emerged from the game with considerable credit. They took a time to get into their stride, but were level at half-time and ahead for much of the first half before eventually succumbing to late Ireland pressure.

The home team dominated territorially early on, and much of the good rugby that Scotland played in that spell - such as a quick-witted break by debutant Hugh Blake - was deep inside their own half. Ireland took their time to make the pressure count, and nearly quarter of an hour had gone by the time there was a score on the board. The move began with a simple lineout catch, and ended some eight or nine phases when flanker Chris Henry crashed over from a ruck within the five-metre line. Ian Madigan converted, and Ireland were up and running.

By the end of the first quarter, Scotland had conceded seven penalties in their efforts to disrupt the flow of the Irish attack. Ireland ran them all, preferring to keep attacking ball in hand, otherwise they could easily have more than doubled their lead.

The loss of a scrum on their own put-in confirmed that Scotland were up against it in most departments of the game. There were some reassuring moments in defence, however, with Ruaridh Jackson, for instance, ending one threatening attack with a well-timed tackle close to his left touchline.

Then suddenly, with just over half an hour on the clock, Scotland were level. No 8 David Denton did the initial damage, then swift recycling by Peter Horne, Jackson and Richie Vernon ended with Blair Cowan touching down on the right. Horne added the extra points, but was then wide with a long-range penalty attempt five minutes later. The teams went in level at half-time, which on the balance of play had to be regarded as a decent outcome for the visitors.

The picture brightened further for Scotland in the opening stages of the second half when they took the lead through captain Henry Pyrgos. Ireland, who might have been expected to come out determined to play at a higher tempo, continued to look sluggish, and failed to prevent the scrum-half from plunging through the tightest of gaps in their defence. The conversion attempt failed, and before play was restarted Ryan Grant, who had been injured in the build-up to the try, was stretchered off and replaced by Gordon Reid. Jon Welsh was also soon taken off and replaced by Mike Cusack, making his debut.

Simon Zebo was lucky not to be penalised for a trip on Tim Visser as Scotland kept up their good form, but Ireland at last began to build momentum and regained the lead after 55 minutes. A penalty to touch deep in the Scotland 22 set up a promising platform, and from the lineout Sean Cronin forced his way over for a try which Madigan converted.

Paul O’Connell’s arrival of the bench to the biggest cheer of the afternoon added to the impression that there had been a momentum shift in the match - but a Horne penalty nosed Scotland back in first with an hour played. Within minutes Zebo broke through for his team’s third try of the day, and Madigan’s conversion made it 21-15, but Scotland replied swiftly when Horne got on the end of a good break by Sean Lamont. Jackson’s two points made it 21-22.

Again, the lead did not last long. With ten minutes left, a superb cross-field pass from Madigan was gathered by Luke Fitzgerald out on the left for a score which Madigan himself converted. Madigan failed with a penalty attempt five minutes from time, but Ireland had still done just enough to end up on top.

Ireland: S Zebo (P Jackson 78); T Bowe (D Kearney 61), J Payne, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; I Madigan, I Boss (E Reddan 67); D Kilcoyne (M Bent 61), S Cronin (R Strauss 61), M Ross (N White 52), D Toner, D Tuohy (P O’Connell 56), J Conan (J Murphy 65), C Henry, S O’Brien.

Scotland: R Jackson; S Lamont, R Vernon (M Scott 61), P Horne, T Visser; G Tonks, H Pyrgos (Hidalgo-Clyne 66); R Grant (G Reid 45), F Brown (R Ford 52), J Welsh (M Cusack 48), J Hamilton (R Harley 57), G Gilchrist, B Cowan (J Barclay 58), H Blake, D Denton. Unused sub: D Weir.

Referee: P Gauzere (France). Attendance: tba