The Irish are just one win away from a grand slam in the Six Nations.
By outlasting Scotland 22-7 at Murrayfield on Sunday, Ireland earned a fourth straight victory of the championship to move onto 19 points — four more than defending champions France.
The French are now the only team capable of stopping Andy Farrell’s relentless squad from claiming a first Six Nations title since 2018.
That would require Ireland losing at fortress Lansdowne Road to visiting England and France beating Wales in a match taking place a few hours earlier next Saturday.
England are hardly in great shape, either, coming off a record 53-10 loss to France in round four.
“That was an amazing Test match,” said Farrell, while warning that “England will be dangerous, but it’ll be one hell of a St Patrick’s Day weekend”.
It was a landmark day for Ireland captain Johnny Sexton who became the joint-leading points scorer in Six Nations history, the 37-year-old moving level with fellow Irishman Ronan O’Gara’s total of 557 with a penalty and two conversions.
Scotland’s 12th loss in their last 13 meetings with Ireland ended the hosts’ title challenge, though the result was in the balance at halftime with the Irish only leading 8-7 thanks to their Australian winger Mack Hansen squeezing over for a try in the right corner in the 28th minute.
Ireland showed their experience and class in the second half, with two quickfire tries around the hour mark killing off the hopes of the Scots, who didn’t manage to score a point after the break.
After Hansen took an up-and-under on the right flank, the ball was recycled to the left and, after a series of phases, Jamison Gibson-Park’s miss-pass found winger James Lowe, who barged through a challenge to ground in the corner in the 57th.
Five minutes later, man of the match Hansen also played a key role in Ireland’s third try by sending in replacement Jack Conan along the right touchline.
The back-row forward had the huge figure of Duhan van der Merwe to hold off, but he did and got over the line.
One more try was needed to claim a fourth straight bonus-point win this tournament and it nearly arrived after a length-of-the-field move. It ended with flanker James Ryan tackled about five metres out and his offload just evading Lowe.
Ireland centre Garry Ringrose will surely not be playing against England next weekend after appearing to lose consciousness making a tackle with around 10 minutes remaining.
After a lengthy period of treatment, he was carried off on a stretcher to applause around the ground.
The last of Ireland’s three grand slams in the championship was in 2018 and a fourth now looks more a probability than possibility.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Mac Hansen would probably be still sitting on the Brumbies bench watching three RL players on the wings in a match . He is a very busy man . I’m surprised that England don’t pick Radwan who is similar . Muirhead is our closest , a very good winger , ignored . They make few errors .
Intotouch
Roar Rookie
Ireland invests heavily in “developing” players. Rassie said of his time at Munster that it was like precision farming. He said it forced him to be a better coach because he had to improve the players that were from Munster. There’s a serious limit on how many players can be imported.. and a smallish payer pool. It is a coaches job to improve players first and foremost, not swap dodgy ones for better ones. But this is much harder, time consuming and takes serious commitment from players too. Hansen is fab right now and fair play to him. Im delighted that he found his place to shine. Soon it might be Irish players being picked up by Australian clubs. The Ireland under 20s are super again this year and Nucifora is saying he’s struggling to find space for them all. The future is looking bright for Ireland.
Richie
Roar Rookie
I reckon what you say is correct moondoggie. Well put.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Hansen proving more and more as the one that got away & he can thank ex-Brums coach Andy Friend for luring him over to Connacht. AUS at #7 are infatuated with developing & picking big fast physical players but in contrast IRE at #1 picking high rugby IQ players. My money is on Hansen & his mates drinking from Bill later this year. Wouldn’t that be another feather in the cap for ex-WB & Brums coach David Nucifora! WB could have had what Nucifora has built with IRE for nearly a decade. RA= :thumbdown:
Kane
Roar Guru
He's also lost a lot of weight since his first season there, he was one of the slowest wingers in world rugby during his first Six Nations and laughably claimed to the media that he needed to be that size to handle NH rugby. Since then, he has slimmed down a lot and has picked up some speed which unsurprisingly has made him a much better winger.
Harry Jones
Expert
Very skillful player. Hunting him for the podcast. Stay tuned.
HenryHoneyBalls
Guest
Pretty sure scrums were contested as Healy confirmed to the ref that he was comfortable playing hooker. His penalty taps need work though, that was comically bad.
HenryHoneyBalls
Guest
Lowe is on form for sure however, there are no guarantees he would be the same player if he had stayed in the NZ system. At Leinster and Ireland he benefits from some of the best coaches, management and sports science in world rugby.
HenryHoneyBalls
Guest
You have to laugh a bit about the headline "Hansen stars in.." when if you read the NZ papers their headline is "Lowe stars in...". You do see this a lot after Ireland wins especially in the NZ papers. However, I do have to concede this time the headline is absolutely correct. Hansen was Ireland's best player on the day (one of many) and it was Hansen's best game for Ireland to date. very timely as he possibly didnt have his best game v Italy.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
No contested scrums for Healy at hooker, only a theatre for inflicting pain on the Scots... :laughing:
moondoggie
Roar Rookie
Great to hear Hansen is doing well. I would have have loved to keep him at the Brumbies, but good on him for taking an opportunity and excelling. If he had remined though, I highly doubt he would be making a Wallabies 23, even on current form. That is mostly down to his playing style and the type of winger/fullback Australian teams typically pick. I couldn't see him getting picked over Koroibete, Petaia, Wright, Nawaqanitawase et al. What that says about the Wallabies I am not sure - on paper it would seem silly to not want a player starting for the best team in the world!
scrum
Roar Rookie
What a great first half in the Scots v Irish. As good as Rugby you will see anywhere. And how good are Ireland. Nothing fazes them. Due injuries 3 props in the scrum and the flanker throwing the ball into the lineout. Hansen plays well above his weight and James Lowe is in incredible form. How the Kiwis must regret losing him, he is a cut above any winger in NZ at the moment.