Expectations raised as McMahon and Ireland target third away victory

Ireland's Edel McMahon. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Twelve months since Ireland edged Scotland to third place in the Six Nations with a narrow win in Belfast. Now they meet again on the Championship’s last day, this time in Edinburgh. Evidence suggests the gap has widened.

The hosts have lost their last three whereas Ireland have shown continued signs of progress in defeats to the Big Two of France and England and two away wins, against Italy and Wales, by a combined margin of 68 points.

A second consecutive thir-,place finish is basically guaranteed already, and their two wins mirror the number of victories attained in 2024, but captain Edel McMahon has reiterated the squad’s goal of three wins on the road.

Do that and they can return for pre-World Cup camp at the start of June with momentum behind them. It’s all a far cry from a wooden spoon showing in 2023 and the failure to make the last global get-together.

“I’ve always said that the country has talent,” said McMahon. “We’ve a lot of structure and coaching put around the squad now, we have a lot of resources pumped into us, and we can see that.” 

Head coach Scott Bemand has built a solid core of dependables. Aoife Corey makes her debut at full-back while the number of players used in this campaign will rise to just 28 if Jane Clohessy does likewise off the bench.

The Scots boast 718 caps to Ireland’s 327 but the visitors’ ceiling is so much higher with young talent like Dannah O’Brien at out-half, Aoife Dalton in midfield and Aoife Wafer up front destined for huge careers.

The sense of evolution was clear again as they poked holes in a 40-14 defeat of Wales last week. Good isn’t nearly good enough anymore having beaten world champions New Zealand and Canada in the WXV1, and Australia in Belfast.

“This time last year we would have been over the moon with some of those games and some of those wins,” said McMahon. “Now we’re pushing to be better and to be more clinical because we want to be top contenders and we want to compete at the World Cup.

“And that’s coming from the likes of 21-year-olds. That’s pretty impressive.” 

The trajectory of the team is huge. The growth even in the last six months from where we were in Vancouver [WXV1]. Take the lineout. That’s grown exponentially and we have revolutionised that.” 

All told, eleven of this matchday 23 have less than 20 XVs caps to their name. This year’s World Cup will not be the peak of this collective’s performance – that should come further down the track – but they look primed to impress.

Whatever the result in Scotland this weekend, the priority once done will be to make full use of the few weeks off that follow after a ten-week bloc that has been enjoyable and rewarding but undeniably intense with it.

“We have to prep and be in the best shape that we can be as a team coming into the World Cup preparations,” said McMahon. “So having that time away is just as important as the time we put on the field.

“It is very hard because when you’re on a high and a campaign is running well, you can be like, ‘okay I need to be fitter, I need to be stronger’ and you think, ‘attack those first five weeks’ but the staff have been quite clear.

“Those first two weeks are a complete shut-off, do something that you enjoy, get out. It is such an important switch-off period and then you can put in the hard work come those three weeks coming into the campaign.” 

Scotland: C Rollie; R Lloyd, E Orr, L Thomson, F McGhie; H Nelson, L Brebner-Holden; L Bartlett, L Skeldon, E Clarke; J Konkel, S Bonar; R Malcolm, R McLachlan, E Gallagher.

Ireland: A Corey; V Elmes Kinlan, A Dalton, E Breen, AL Costigan; D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe; N O’Dowd, N Jones, L Djougang; R Campbell, F Tuite; D Wall, E McMahon, B Hogan.

Referee: N Ganley (New Zealand).