‘Ridiculous’ – Scotland laugh off suggestion of collusion with Ireland
Ireland take on Scotland in a huge Rugby World Cup pool decider on Saturday evening, with Gregor Townsend’s Scots needing to win the match and deny the world No 1 side bonus points if they hope to progress to the quarter-finals.
Current Pool B leaders South Africa could go out of the tournament if Scotland beat Ireland with a bonus point and by a margin of 21 points or more, with Andy Farrell’s side also taking a try bonus point. Scotland would then top the pool on points difference, with the Six Nations grand slam winners joining them in the last eight due to their win over the Springboks.
That seems unlikely though and this fixture is probably an eliminator between both teams. If Ireland win, they go through as Pool winners while Scotland need to win by either a bonus point victory (and Ireland earning nothing) or a non-bonus point win provided the Irish do not finish within seven points to progress.
Follow all the action as Ireland face Scotland in Pool B plus get the latest tips and odds for the match right here:
Ireland vs Scotland live
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Ireland 5-0 Scotland
7 mins: The first test for the Ireland defence and they pass with flying colours. Scotland fail to breach their defence and Andy Farrell’s men win the penalty at the breakdown and get a chance to clear.
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:09
Ireland 5-0 Scotland
5 mins: Scotland get their hands on the ball for the first time in this encounter as they look to recover from that early Ireland score.
A chance now for them as they kick for the corner after a high tackle from Doris on Schoeman.
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:07
Ireland 5-0 Scotland
Harry Latham-Coyle reporting from the Stade de France:
“So much for a fast Scottish start. Excellent identification of the gap from Garry Ringrose, spotting Grant Gilchrist exposed wide in the defensive line and darting past him, before having the cool and the calm to put his two wings away. But that all felt rather easy for Ireland, a simple pull-back play all that was required to cut the opposition open in their first attacking movement.”
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:05
TRY! Ireland 5-0 Scotland (Lowe, 2 mins)
What a start for Ireland as the Stade de France erupts with noise. Ringrose makes the burst through the Scottish line and from there, the Scottish defence has no chance.
Ringrose finds Hansen. Hansen finds Lowe. Down in the corner and Ireland have a try just over a minute into this encounter.
Sexton misses the conversion.
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:05
KICK-OFF! Ireland 0-0 Scotland
The anthems have been sung, the atmosphere is electric. Ireland get us under way in this huge group-stage finale!
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:02
Harry Latham-Coyle reporting from the Stade de France
Harry is The Independent’s man in the ground for this one. He sends this in before kick-off:
“It’s like an Ireland home game in here – green shirts all around the Stade de France and already generating one heck of an atmosphere. The start, you feel, is crucial: Scotland simply have to match Andy Farrell’s men early on.”
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 20:01
Kick-off moments away
The players converge in the tunnel and kick-off is fast approaching!
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 19:55
Closing in on kick-off
The fans are here and we’re ten minutes from kick-off
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 19:49
Ireland vs Scotland line-ups
A quick reminder of the teams with 15 minutes until kick-off:
Ireland XV: 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong; 4 Tadhg Beirne, 5 Iain Henderson; 6 Peter O’Mahony, 7 Josh van der Flier; 8 Caelan Doris; 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Johnny Sexton (captain); 11 James Lowe, 12 Bundee Aki, 13 Garry Ringrose, 14 Mack Hansen; 15 Hugo Keenan
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 David Kilcoyne, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 James Ryan, 20 Jack Conan; 21 Conor Murray, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Stuart McCloskey.
Scotland XV: 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 George Turner, 3 Zander Fagerson; 4 Richie Gray, 5 Grant Gilchrist; 6 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey; 9 Ali Price, 10 Finn Russell; 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 13 Huw Jones, 14 Darcy Graham; 15 Blair Kinghorn.
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 WP Nel, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 Luke Crosbie; 22 George Horne, 23 Ollie Smith.
Ben Fleming7 October 2023 19:45
Ireland vs Scotland
When Ireland played Scotland in the 2023 Six Nations, the ball-in-play time was an astonishing 38 minutes.
Heading into this final round of matches at the Rugby World Cup, only three games have had a higher figure: Scotland vs Romania, at 39 minutes and 40 seconds, and Wales vs Portugal, at 38 minutes and 21 seconds.
Another match involving Wales, against Fiji, is next on the list at 37 minutes and 52 seconds. Will this one be as draining for the players?
Mike Jones7 October 2023 19:42