Welsh voice music to Irish ears

IRELAND have one major factor going for them in Sunday’s Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield – the identity of the referee.

Having had cause for complaint from the handling of their games by a wet-behind-the-ears Frenchman in Romain Poite and an Englishman with preconceived ideas in Dave Pearson, the presence of Nigel Owens from Wales will be a welcome one.

Owens is an official with a clear feeling for the game and one who will handle it the way he sees things and ignore what others have been trying to drum into his head.