Improvement remains theme as Ireland prepare for jump up in class

Andy Farrell has backed the players who scraped past Scotland to take the extra steps required to overcome the greater challenge a rampant Wales will bring to Dublin on Saturday.

The new head coach’s reign got off to a steady if unspectacular start at the Aviva Stadium last weekend in the unforgiving confines of a Guinness Six Nations opener but Farrell is well aware that the problems posed by a much-improved, far feistier Scotland than previously witnessed are at a lower level than the questions that will be asked of Ireland by the reigning Grand Slam champions.