Aki dismisses Ireland's 10 game winning run in Murrayfield ahead of Scotland clash

READY FOR BATTLE: Bundee Aki has dismissed Ireland’s 10-game winning streak against Scotland as irrelevant to Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown at Murrayfield. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Bundee Aki has dismissed Ireland’s 10-game winning streak against Scotland as irrelevant to Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown at Murrayfield.

The Ireland centre, a try scorer in the first-round bonus-point victory over England in Dublin last Saturday will take nothing for granted when Simon Easterby’s squad travel to Edinburgh on Friday looking to extend an unbeaten run dating back to 2018 and including seven consecutive championship matches, two World Cup pool games and a covid-era Autumn Nations Series encounter.

Scotland themselves notched maximum points in their campaign-opening home win over Italy and while Ireland looked to have regained their attacking mojo with four well-executed tries against the English in a 27-22 win, inside centre Aki is demanding a more clinical performance in week two.

"The game at the weekend, there were obviously a few things in the first half which didn't go our way or we didn't stick the passes that we wanted to,” Aki said. “But we sort of found our way into it in the second half.

“Against Scotland, we probably won't have those kind of chances throughout the game and we've got to make sure that we're much more clinical and that's the good thing about the squad, we get to improve on what we didn't do well in the game. We're obviously very proud of being able to adapt in the second half but we're trying to be more clinical and accurate.

“We're a squad that always want to try and push each other to keep improving each week. This week again, we're trying to push each other to be better at what we did and even go further on with our accuracy and the way we want to play, and our cohesiveness as a group.” 

Aki pointed to recent close Six Nations meetings with Scotland, most recently a tricky 17-12 victory in Dublin last March, as a warning against taking an 11th successive victory this weekend for granted.

"I think in the past few encounters we've had, they've all been tight games. They're a quality side, they've had a good November Series and every time I have played them they have always put us under the pump so we expect nothing less from them, to be able to play to their strengths which, being at home, will add another factor into it.

"They've got threats all over the park so we've got to be on our A game to make sure that we're up for it. I'm looking forward to it.” 

Citing the backline firepower of Scotland fly-half Finn Russell, centre Huw Jones and wingers Darcy Graham, and Duhan van der Merwe, Aki added: "Every time I play against Scotland, it's always a tough match. Scotland never go away. From the first whistle to the 80th minute, they're there. They've got attacking flair all over the park, the likes of Darcy, Huw, Duhi, Finn Russell who runs the ship there and their nines are sharp nines and their back row as well is dangerous.

"I could even go to their props, I think they've got the most metres out there with their ball-carriers so we've got a big task ahead of us with how Scotland play. Playing against Scotland throughout the years has always been a tough match. There has always been one or two tries or scores between us so we expect nothing less this weekend.” 

Aki also discounted the suggestion that Ireland could use perceived Scottish desperation to end their losing run to their own advantage in some way.

"No, we're just trying to focus on ourselves but also respecting the fact that they're a quality side, give them the respect that they deserve. Their threats around the park are unbelievable so if you try to take your foot off the pedal with these guys they will absolutely tear you to shreds so it's making sure that we're across our plan, making sure that we're doing the right thing as a group and making sure our cohesiveness as a group is a lot better than we did against England. We've just got to keep improving as a group and a team.”