Mike Catt laughs off suggestions of Ireland conspiring with Scotland

SHORT SHRIFT: Assistant coach Mike Catt during an Ireland rugby media conference at Complexe de la Chambrerie in Tours. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Ireland have poured scorn on the suggestion they might conspire with Saturday’s opponents Scotland to engineer an early exit from the World Cup for pool rivals South Africa.

Pool B will head into the final weekend before the quarter-finals with the fate of all three of the world’s top five in the rankings hanging on the outcome of Saturday night’s all-Six Nations showdown between the Irish and Scots at Stade de France.