There’s still a Six Nations championship to play for.
Okay, so last weekend didn’t go to plan. Wales outplayed us and we came off second best.
That’s over now and there is still the important matter of back-to-back championships to play for.
The Scots come into this game looking destined for the wooden spoon. However, results can be deceiving because the Scots have played well in almost all of their games.
Here’s hoping that they’re not saving their best performance for the last game of the tournament.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch game between the sides, JOE, with thanks to Tissot, the Official Timekeeper for the RBS 6 Nations, has picked out our five favourite moments against the Scottish over the years.
Jamie Heaslip’s try, 2009. Scotland 15 – 22 Ireland
Peter Stringer’s break to set up Heaslip for an easy run-in was absolutely sublime. The diminutive scrum half’s opportunism set Ireland on their way to a valuable win and kept our Grand Slam hopes alive.
Trevor Ringland’s try, 1985. Scotland 15 – 18 Ireland
Ringland’s two second half tries were the final jewels in Ireland’s 1985 Triple Crown. The passing in midfield and awareness of all the Irish players in this move is something to behold.
Shane Horgan’s try, 2000. Ireland 44 – Scotland 22
Entering this game, Ireland had not defeated Scotland in the Six Nations since 1988.
The ’90s were a bad decade to be an Irish rugby fan, but this was different. A new school of players were arriving on the scene. Among them was Shane Horgan, who scored this great try to help set up an Irish victory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IvhilEHK_0
Ollie Campbell kicking, 1982. Ireland 21 – 12 Scotland
In 1982, there was a whole generation of rugby fans who had never seen Ireland win a Six Nations. Ollie Campbell soon changed that with a sensational kicking performance.
Gordon D’Arcy’s try, 2004. Ireland 37 – 16 Scotland
Ireland hadn’t won the Triple Crown since Ringland’s heroics in 1985.
However, the new breed of Irish rugby player was really coming of age and Eddie O’Sullivan was building a team which could compete and defeat the best.
Ireland didn’t have it all their own way, but D’Arcy took the game by the scruff of the neck and dragged us over the line for Triple Crown glory once again.
Let’s hope for a few more great memories from the boys in green on Saturday.
Brought to you by Tissot, the Official Timekeeper for the RBS 6 Nations.
By sharing your #TopMoment via Twitter & Instagram, you could win a Tissot PRC 200 Quartz Chronograph. Don’t forget to vote for your #TopMoment of this weekend’s matches as shortlisted by the Tissot Rugby expert by visiting www.rbs6nations.com/tissot.
Voting opens Tuesday.
