Scottish rugby in a sad state

Saturday’s game against England at Twickenham will be Ireland’s 14th test game in eight months and will have a defining influence on how that period is judged.

With three more tests to come on successive Saturdays against New Zealand in June and a warm-up game against the Barbarians prior to departing for the southern hemisphere, a win in London would offer a massive boost before the players disperse to the provinces for that vital period of the season when silverware is decided.

It has been a difficult Six Nations for Ireland in many ways with that disappointing opening day defeat to Wales delivering a massive blow, with any notions of a Grand Slam or Triple Crown knocked on its head before the campaign ever got up and running. The fact that the players were unable to vent their frustrations for a further three weeks when the French game was called off at the last minute presented another hurdle they could have done without.