It was only in the final quarter that they rallied and closed the gap to 10 points while grabbing a bonus point. A touch of conservatism crept in and Farrell acknowledged it afterwards, admitting Ireland were guilty of overplaying a little. Have they closed the gap on Ireland, or have Ireland regressed? Any attempt to shut Ireland down as Wales and Italy have done will only play into the home side’s hands. The silver lining for Ireland is that if Scotland commit to playing expansive rugby, it creates exactly the space Ireland need, if they’re brave enough to go after it.

Source: The Irish Times March 11, 2026 16:16 UTC