Irish eyes turn to Wales as Scots brushed aside

Ireland 28 Scotland 6

Rightly so. The meetings of Ireland and Wales are always memorable and increasingly laden with the baggage of past encounters, with this year’s clash the subject of anticipation ever since Warren Gatland had the temerity to drop this country’s national treasure Brian O’Driscoll from his Lions team for the final Test against Australia last summer.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt will not give two hoots about that little subplot involving his opposite number in the Wales camp but managing the six-day turnaround between this victory over Scotland and the arrival of a team intent on making history with a third title in a row will be sure to focus the mind.