Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Six Nations Championship match.
In the second round of the Six Nations, Scotland and Ireland will close out the weekend’s action. The Scots haven’t beaten their Irish rivals in the last 10 meetings, making this a major challenge for the Scottish side.
Scotland
Even at home, Scotland have struggled against Ireland, losing their last three encounters in Edinburgh. Their last victory in this fixture dates back to 4 February 2017, when they edged a 27:22 win under former head coach Vern Cotter. However, at that time, Ireland were not the powerhouse they are today. The Irish finished second in the tournament that year, but only on points difference, having won three of their five matches—the same as fourth-placed Scotland. Now, Ireland arrive as back-to-back Six Nations champions and the undisputed strongest team in the competition. To make matters worse for the hosts, Scotland will be without captain Sione Tuipulotu, who is sidelined for at least 12 weeks with a muscle injury, along with several other key players.
Ireland
With Scotland weakened, Ireland should take full advantage. In the opening round, they defeated England, a team rated higher than Scotland. Although England led 10:5 at half-time, the Irish turned the game around after the break, doubling their lead to 20:10 by the 65th minute. Despite a late push from the English, Ireland controlled the match and secured a 27:22 victory.
Scotland vs Ireland Prediction
Ireland will also be missing key players, including prop Tadhg Furlong and lock Joe McCarthy, but these absences shouldn’t impact them as much as Scotland’s losses. Given Ireland’s dominance in this fixture and the Scots’ injury woes, we expect the visitors to win with at least a small margin.
