Ireland host Scotland in decisive Six Nations Triple Crown finale
Ireland will host Scotland in a decisive Six Nations Triple Crown shootout in Dublin on Saturday as both nations vie for championship glory.
Andy Farrell’s side have recovered impressively after suffering a humbling 36-14 defeat by France on the opening weekend.
Successive victories over Italy, England and Wales have kept the home side firmly in the title hunt heading into Super Saturday.
The visiting Scots also enter the final round with genuine hopes of pipping France to the championship trophy.
Embracing the cup final pressure
Ireland attack coach Andrew Goodman believes his squad are relishing the intense atmosphere surrounding the upcoming fixture.
The New Zealand-born coach noted a distinct shift in intensity when the team reconvened for training this week.
“You come back into training together on Sunday night, Monday morning and you can feel the edge around the place,” Goodman said.
“There’s a lot of excitement, a little bit of nerves as you can imagine and a good edge around the place.”
Scotland seek to end historic droughts
The visitors face a daunting historical record as they attempt to secure their first Triple Crown since 1990.
To lift the prestigious silverware, the away side must conquer the men in green in Dublin for the first time since 2010.
They must also snap a miserable 11-match losing sequence against their Celtic rivals across all competitions.
However, Gregor Townsend’s squad will arrive brimming with confidence following a stunning 50-40 victory over France at Murrayfield last week.
Praise for scintillating Scottish attack
Goodman was thoroughly impressed by how the Scottish attacking unit dismantled the French defence to record their third successive win.
The vibrant visitors have already crossed the whitewash for 17 tries in this year’s thrilling tournament.
“I thought they did a great job in terms of the attack, getting the ball to space and expressing themselves,” Goodman added.
“I’m sure they’ll come here with lots of belief and confidence after what they’ve been able to do in the last three weeks.”
