As a Scotland squad that had learned from the folly of its over-excitement when heading to Cardiff a year earlier prepared for this year’s Six Nations Championship in relatively subdued fashion, so Ireland were readying themselves for what was being billed as a potential title decider.

Seven days on and the mood surrounding the two camps is very different, with the defending champions coming under fire at home following their defeat by England, the nature of which was more unexpected than the outcome itself whilst, as ever, there are those who cannot contain themselves on this side of the Irish Sea and are raising the prospect of an end of tournament Grand Slam decider with England.

This afternoon’s events will offer much more information about whether the men from the Emerald Isle are in danger of getting their timing horribly wrong once again, having repeatedly looked like contenders at recent World Cup tournaments, only to peak too early, most notably four years ago when, after winning back-to-back Six Nations titles, they failed to improve on their record of never progressing beyond the World Cup quarter-finals.

Since Scotland could present a major obstacle to their chances of doing so this time around as their principal pool rivals, Ireland will be determined to re-assert themselves immediately following that setback in order to ensure that they do not undermine themselves further by fuelling suspicions about the ageing nature of their team and what is suddenly being characterised as the predictability of their play.

No sports team is invulnerable to doubt and, while he did so understatedly, Scotland’s captain Greig Laidlaw gave the impression of seeking to play on Ireland’s when the opportunity arose to do so yesterday.

“Any time you get beaten there’s a reason behind it,” he observed. “We’ve analysed their game from last week, but also the game from two years ago and last year too.”

Scotland’s victory the last time Ireland visited was an important one in terms of their collective psyche since that was the second victory in a sequence of what is now seven successive wins in Six Nations Championship at the national stadium and of 11 wins in their last 13 home matches, 10 of those at BT Murrayfield, with New Zealand and South Africa the only visiting teams to have claimed victories in the interim, both by narrow margins.

Reminded yesterday that head coach Gregor Townsend had contended that Scotland’s competitive maturity was three to four years behind that of Ireland following last year’s encounter in Dublin when the 28-8 result hugely flattered the home team, while severely punishing the visitors for their failure to take opportunities which presented themselves at key stages, Laidlaw reckoned the team has made rapid advances in the interim and also has the benefit of more experience to draw upon as a result of the decision to omit last week’s historic hat-trick scorer.

“I think we’ve matured a lot, to be honest,” said the man who has captained Scotland more often than any other player.

“Bringing Sean Maitland back into the team is a real positive, in that respect. Blair Kinghorn was excellent last week and him being on the bench is excellent for us, but Sean is a big player, he’s played in a lot of big games for Sarries, for Scotland, for the Lions. He’s got so much experience.

“Finn has really stepped up in that are of his game. He’s always been an excellent player and he’s added some levels to that side of his game. I think going to France with Racing has shown that, with his performances there and his showing last week.

“That experience will be vital tomorrow, we need these guys to give us direction and to not panic when the game is tight.”

They are against an Irish squad that took a beating in more ways than one last week, resulting in a string of injuries to important players and stretching their resources, but which has also proved its resilience time and time again when under pressure and Laidlaw was not about to make the mistake of suggesting that any of Ireland’s players are in danger of being past their best.

Even so, the Scots believe they have earned the right to go into this match believing they can once again defy the world rankings in which they are currently seventh, to Ireland’s second

“Ireland will be looking to right a few wrongs… so it’s going to be a physical battle tomorrow,” said Laidlaw.

“They will be hurting from England winning the physical battle, so that will be tough for us.

“We’re certainly not going to go out and try to play like England. We’re going to play like Scotland.

“We’ve got to back ourselves in what we do and everybody’s got to buy into it.

“Like any team I’m sure they were disappointed to lose at home, but that’s not our worry.

“Ours is about ourselves, our record here at home that we’re extremely proud of. We want to build on it and we’re ready to go.”