Clinical Ireland see off Scotland to top group, as it happened

Andy Farrell's side can book a quarter-final spot with a victory. After that it gets complicated. 
Hugo Keenan of Ireland is tackled by Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe, behind, and Matt Fagerson before scoring his side's fourth try. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Hugo Keenan of Ireland is tackled by Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe, behind, and Matt Fagerson before scoring his side's fourth try. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

22.40pm Thanks very much for your company. Let's meet back here at the same time, same place next week when Ireland will face the haka and the All Blacks rather than Scotland.  This will be a fun a week... Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the news and reaction from France with our Rugby World Cup hub.

FULL-TIME: Ireland 36 Scotland 14

Game over! Ireland top the group after another excellent performance and victory. Zombie rings out. Next up... the All Blacks.  

79 mins Ireland 36 Scotland 14

Ireland were celebrating a late try as Finlay Bealham got over but it's brought back for a knock-on. We're into the red in the clock. 

75 mins Ireland 36 Scotland 14

We're into the last five minutes and Ireland are in control. Scotland had their tails up for a while there and did well to get their two tries but Andy Farrell will be pleased to see his side running down the clock here. Both sides look drained. 

TRY FOR SCOTLAND! -  Ali Price

67 mins Ireland 36 Scotland 14

Another one for the Scots. Ali Price gets over to make the scoreline look a bit more decent. The South Africans may not like this. 

More importantly, James Ryan looks to be in some discomfort - possibly with a hand injury. 

TRY FOR SCOTLAND! - Ewan Ashman

65 mins Ireland 36 Scotland 7

Well over an hour into this World Cup showdown, Scotland are on the scoreboard.  

FULL VOICE: Ireland supporters at the Stade de France. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
FULL VOICE: Ireland supporters at the Stade de France. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

TRY FOR IRELAND! - Garry Ringrose

59 mins Ireland 36 Scotland 0

Jack Crowley hangs it up for Ringrose and the Leinster centre dots down. The Bandon man just misses the conversion.

55 mins Ireland 31 Scotland 0 James Lowe is headed to hospital with an eye injury, we're told, and fingers crossed he'll be okay to face his native New Zealand next weekend.

We've reached Mexican Wave levels here, meanwhile.  

49 mins  Ireland 31 Scotland 0

Here come the cavalry. 

Finlay Bealham, Jack Conan, Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan Kelleher and James Ryan trot on to a big welcome from the crowd. 

Centurion O'Mahony, Sheehan, a hampered-looking Furlong and Porter clock off.

TRY FOR IRELAND! - Dan Sheehan

45 mins Ireland 31 Scotland 0

Dan Sheehan finishes in the corner to twist the knife. Sexton misses the conversion and moments later is subbed off for Jack Crowley. 

SCOTLAND YELLOW CARD - Ollie Smith 

43 mins  Ireland 26 Scotland 0 A hectic few minutes ends in Scotland being reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes. 

Sexton was tripped by Smith, he pushed back and then it all kicked off. 

Dan Sheehan was driven over over the advertising hoardings WWE style and Peter O'Mahony was, as always, at the centre of the action.   

40 mins Ireland 26 Scotland 0 Here we go - Scotland need an absolute miracle. You'd hope Gregor Townsend had the Braveheart DVD cued up with the half-time cup of tea.  

Andy Farrell will hope to negotiate the second period without any drama like red cards or injuries. 

HALF-TIME: Ireland head in after a devastating first-half performance. 

TRY FOR IRELAND! - Hugo Keenan

39 mins Ireland 26 Scotland 0

This is officially a shellacking. With a penalty coming, Sexton throws a high one for Keenan to pick out of the air and the momentum carries him over the line despite some Scottish attempts at stopping his gallop. Sexton adds the extras. 

36 mins Mack Hansen's night comes to and end as he moves gingerly towards the bench. He'd seemingly passed an earlier HIA but McCloskey is on again.

TRY FOR IRELAND! - Iain Henderson

32 mins Ireland 19 Scotland 0

The Ulster man gets in under the Scottish defence after Ireland camped a few feet out from the line. This is ruthless stuff. 

TRY FOR IRELAND! - Hugo Keenan

28 mins Ireland 12 Scotland 0 From the halfway line, Ireland go from coast to coast with the ball going through the likes of Gibson-Park, Sexton and the brilliant Ringrose, before Keenan dives for the corner. Sexton makes no mistake with this conversion.  

It's a long way back for Scotland now. 

22 mins Stuart McCloskey is introduced for his first taste of the Rugby World Cup; Mack Hansen is gone off for now for a blood injury. 

18 mins Ireland 5 Scotland 0 Boos ring out from the Scotland supporters and Gregor Townsend looks less than happy. Hugo Keenan looked to have slipped out over the line as he caught the ball but he got away with one. 

As I type, Mack Hansen lets the ball slip out of his hands as he looks destined to get over the whitewash. Still just one score on the board after an intense 20 minutes or so. 

Scotland skipper Jamie Ritchie is leaving the fray injured, following Blair Kinghorn. Finn Russell is captain.  

12 mins Ireland 5 Scotland 0 Great work from Ireland under more pressure. Scotland go through the phases and really test that Ireland defence. Scotland talisman Finn Russell is smashed as he tries to break the line and ultimately the ref pings the Scots. The players are taking on some fluids and it's a welcome breather.   

7mins Scotland kick for the corner and enjoy a period of pressure but Doris turns the ball over. Great stuff.  

TRY FOR IRELAND! James Lowe

2 mins Ireland 5 Scotland 0 Wow, what a start. Ringrose gets on the front foot, he steps and passes to Hansen who shovels out to James Lowe and the winger touches down in the corner. Johnny Sexton's first attempt at the posts is wide however.   

7.59pm Douze points for the anthems, in fairness. Ireland's Call is belted out by half the stadium and then we're treated to rugby's original banger: Flower of Scotland. Let's go.   

7.55pm Peter O'Mahony leads out the Ireland side on the occasion of his 100th cap for his country. Some going.

 

GREEN INVASION: Ireland fans at the game. Picture: INPHO/Craig Watson
GREEN INVASION: Ireland fans at the game. Picture: INPHO/Craig Watson

Our own Fiona Halligan sends this taster of the atmosphere. 

7.45pm You just have enough time to enjoy David Barnes' Scottish perspective before we get into the pre-game ritual in Paris (anthems etc) and here (boiling kettle). 

7.43pm Gordon Darcy is on ITV and is impressed with the numbers of Irish fans he's seen throughout the day in the French capital. And the former international centre admits the nerves are increasing as we creep towards the game.  

7.29pm James Nesbitt and Ally McCoist have made it to Paris on their bikes as part of a great cause. Kenny Logan and Doddie Weir's son Hamish will bring out the match ball in a minute, we're told.   

James Nesbitt and Ally McCoist from the ‘My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’ with Jill Douglas of ITV Sport. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
James Nesbitt and Ally McCoist from the ‘My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’ with Jill Douglas of ITV Sport. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

7.22pm Did someone say permutations? Simon Lewis breaks down the various scenarios ahead of tonight's action. 

Here's a reminder of the teams tonight: 

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson; Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Jamie Ritchie (capt), Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Luke Crosbie, George Horne, Ollie Smith.

Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson; Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Stuart McCloskey.

7.15pm A typically relaxed Andy Farrell is quizzed by our colleague Tommy Martin on Virgin. 

"They're a good side," the Ireland coach says of the Scots, "they're a threatening side but we want to impose our game on them."

7.10pm Donal Lenihan predicts an Ireland win tonight in his pre-game piece to camera with Justin Treacy. You can read more of his thoughts here, of course.  

COME WHAT MAY: Ireland supporters Amy Murphy, left, and Dora Foley from Frankfield, Cork, ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between Ireland and Scotland at the Montmartre in Paris, France. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
COME WHAT MAY: Ireland supporters Amy Murphy, left, and Dora Foley from Frankfield, Cork, ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between Ireland and Scotland at the Montmartre in Paris, France. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

7pm We're just an hour away from the big one: Scotland v Ireland at the Stade de France in Paris. 

We'll go minute-by-minute throughout the evening. Let us know your pre-game predictions and any thoughts throughout the Pool B finale; adrian.russell@examiner.ie.  

EASY BEING GREEN: Ireland supporter Amy Walsh, from Dunmore, Galway, left, takes a selfie with friends in Paris. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
EASY BEING GREEN: Ireland supporter Amy Walsh, from Dunmore, Galway, left, takes a selfie with friends in Paris. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Preamble: Bonjour! Où est le Stade de France?

It's all to play for tonight in Paris as Ireland take on Six Nations rivals Scotland. 

We'll go minute-by-minute throughout the evening with additional updates from our staff in Saint-Denis. 

In the meantime, make sure you catch up on some of our quality coverage this week, like  Ronan O'Gara's pre-game column.

Eavesdrop on the conversation between Mick Cleary, Brendan O'Brien and Simon Lewis who preview the weekend action on the latest episode of our Rugby World Cup podcast.

Or listen back to our special Rugby World Cup live event

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