Jack McGrath: Scotland won’t suffer travel sickness

Jack McGrath is reading nothing into Scotland’s poor Six Nations away record as Ireland prepare to face a visiting side this Saturday which is fast leaving behind a forgettable championship past.

Much has been made of the Scots’ away troubles in the Six Nations, with only six wins on the road in 18 seasons. Their hammering by Wales in the opening round last month extended that into a 19th campaign and Gregor Townsend’s side will arrive in Dublin this weekend with just a single win in the Irish capital, dating back to 2010 at Croke Park.

McGrath would prefer to concentrate on a different set of reference points, however, not least the fact Scotland’s tails are up following a raucous Murrayfield win over auld enemies England last time out as they won the Calcutta Cup aloft for the first time since 2008. Add in Ireland’s chastening opening-day defeat in Edinburgh in 2017 and analysis of where those Scottish performances happen is pointless as far as the Lions loosehead is concerned.