Rugby / Bunker Nuggets

Scotland v Ireland

Ireland top the table with three wins out of three and are the only side who can win the Grand Slam and along with Wales can still win the Triple Crown. Scotland are in fifth place in the table with one win from three matches after beating Italy last time out.

Fixture History

·         Last season in this match at Croke Park Ireland were 34-13 winners and are unbeaten against the Scots since 2001, with seven successive 6 Nations wins

·         That win, 32-10 at Murrayfield is Scotland’s only win in nine 6 Nations matches against the Irish

·         Ireland are going for a fourth straight win at Murrayfield 

·         In seven of their eight wins against the Scots in the 6 Nations they have scored over 30 points

·         Ireland’s biggest score against the Scots was 44 at Lansdowne Road in 2000 whilst at Murrayfield they scored 40 points in 2005. Their biggest winning margin is 30 points when they won 36-6 at Murrayfield in 2003

·         Chris Paterson has scored most points for Scotland against Ireland in a 6 Nations match with 18 form six penalty goals in March 2007

·         David Humphreys with 26 points has scored most points for Ireland against Scotland doing so in the 2003 clash at Murrayfield with a try, five penalties and three conversions

·         Scotland have only managed one try in their last three meetings with Ireland

Current Season

·         Ireland are the top try scorers in the 6 Nations this season with nine, five more than Scotland

·         Three of the Scotland’s four tries have come in the last quarter of the match

·         Ireland along with England have the best defensive record this season with just three tries conceded whilst Scotland have only conceded five tries and four of those have come at home 

·         Seven of Ireland’s nine tries have come from their backs including four from centre

·         Both sides have had one player sent to the sin bin  

·         Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll is the leading try scorer in the competition with three whilst his fellow Irish back Luke Fitzgerald is one behind on two

·         Ireland fly half Ronan O’Gara is the leading point’s scorer with 32, three more than Welsh fly half Stephen Jones. Chris Paterson is the leading scorer for Scotland with 21 points despite not starting a match yet this season

·         Paterson has a 100% strike rate with all eight of his kicks on target whilst Ronan O’Gara is down at 68.42% with 13 of his 19 on target after an off day against England 

·         Two of Ireland’s pack are the second and third oldest players in this seasons competition, John Hayes and Malcolm O’Kelly   

·         In all Ireland have five of the 15 oldest players to take part this season whilst Scotland do not feature once in the top 15