Rory Darge backs Scotland to handle pressure in Six Nations Ireland decider
Scotland back-rower Rory Darge believes his side are perfectly primed for the pressure of their decisive Six Nations finale against Ireland in Dublin this weekend.
Gregor Townsend’s resurgent team travel across the Irish Sea knowing a victory could secure a historic first championship title, provided France drop points against England.
A triumph would also guarantee the visitors a first Triple Crown since 1990.
However, the national side must first end a dismal run of 11 successive defeats against an opponent they have not beaten since 2017.
Thriving under knockout conditions
The Scots have operated in must-win territory since suffering a narrow 18-15 defeat to Italy in the opening round of the tournament.
Consecutive victories over England, Wales and France have subsequently resurrected their campaign heading into ‘Super Saturday’.
Darge insists that overcoming the adversity of their early setback in Rome has mentally fortified the squad.
“Our backs were against the wall after Rome,” the forward explained.
“Sione Tuipulotu had said to the group that you can’t expect to lose two games and still be in the mix towards the end of the campaign.”
He added that the sudden-death nature of their recent fixtures has made the prospect of this weekend massively exciting rather than daunting.
Overcoming the Irish hoodoo
While the overall championship remains dependent on results elsewhere, claiming the Triple Crown rests entirely in Scottish hands.
The 24-year-old acknowledges the immense physical and tactical challenge awaiting them.
“I’ve not beaten Ireland before, they’re a tough team to beat and they’ve been right up there as one of the best teams in the world,” he admitted.
“I think Ireland will pose a different threat to France; they play a different style and defend differently.”
Despite Scotland’s imposing historical deficit in this fixture, the Glasgow Warriors star remains convinced his teammates will back themselves.
Adaptability amid chaos
The squad travel to Dublin buoyed by a breathless 50-40 triumph over Les Bleus in their previous outing.
That high-scoring victory required extreme adaptability on the pitch, with Darge even playing the closing stages in the midfield after centre Huw Jones departed injured.
“It was a bit of a weird one, it was a bit hectic towards the end,” he reflected on his makeshift positional switch.
“We had bodies out of position but I thought we managed it well, and I had to get some help from the guys around me, but they all kept me right.”
