Dougie Fife insists Scotland can upset Ireland

Winger Dougie Fife believes Scotland have what it takes to overcome Ireland on Saturday as they are too good a team to go without a win in the Six Nations.

Vern Cotter’s side go into the final round of fixtures battling to avoid the wooden spoon, while their opponents Ireland know that victory will keep them in the hunt to secure a second successive Six Nations Championship.

Last weekend was another frustrating result for Scotland, with their half-time lead at Twickenham wiped out by 15 unanswered England points in the second-half. But, despite sitting bottom of the Championship with zero points, Fife is confident Scotland have what it takes to shock Ireland at Murrayfield and end the visitors’ dreams of retaining the Six Nations.

“It is a huge game. We have said we are too good a team to go through the tournament without winning,” said Fife.

“Ireland have obviously got a big incentive to win as well so it is going to be a massive game. Every time you pull on the Scotland top you want to win for your country. It means so much to us.

“We have just not produced the 80 minute performance yet, but if we can do then we can beat Ireland.

“Each game we come at with a different game plan and it is definitely working, we just haven’t performed as best as we’d hope to.

“This week we will look at how we are going to play Ireland and I am sure we can win that game.”

Joe Schmidt’s side go into the crucial clash at Murrayfield off the back of a narrow defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

Prior to that setback Ireland had claimed what looked like a Championship-deciding victory over England in Dublin, with their kicking game earning particular praise. And Fife admits that if Scotland are to have any chance of upsetting the odds on Saturday then they must cope with the laser-accurate boots of half-backs Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton.

“Ireland are a very good team. They’ve got a great kicking game and they put you under a lot of pressure,” added Fife.

“They know when is the right time to run and the right time to kick. So we need to deal with those kicks and put them under pressure. Our defence has got to be solid as well.

“Against England I think we attacked better, we defended better and we scrambled.

“Our discipline was better too. There were a lot of positives to take to this week.

“There was huge belief we could win. We went into the second-half in a great place — winning. Obviously that early try put us on the back foot.

“Even then though we had the belief to go the full 80 and win, but it didn’t work out.

“We need a win [against Ireland]. It is massive for us. Especially as the World Cup is just round the corner and a win would put us in a good place.”