Six Nations Round 3 Preview (Scotland v. Ireland)

Scotland v. Ireland (Murrayfield)

Both teams go into this game on the back of defeats. Ireland pushed France to the final few seconds of the game two weeks ago but in hindsight lost the game based on their discipline. Scotland failed to show up at home to a hungrier Welsh side. Then on Tuesday as Ireland drafted 8 more players into the squad (one of them being Tommy Bowe), Scotland exported 3 due to injury. 

Kidney has named a strong team with a few changes from the previous weeks. Reddan comes in at 9 for O'Leary (thank the Lord) who is out with a back spasm. RO'G replaces Sexton at outhalf while the other change see's McFadden dropped completely from the 22 for the more experienced and dangerous Tommy Bowe. 

Scotlands changes are more drastic. The game being played on a Sunday means that Reverend Euan Murray won't be able to play due to his beliefs. Murray Low comes in there. The second row is blostered by the return of Richie Gray who had a great game against France in round 1 but missed out on the Wales game due to illness. In the backrow the Killer Bees are back in action (Brown, Beatie and Barclay). the half backs have also been changed mainly due to Dan Parks being incredibly shit in his last 2 outings. Mike Blair teams up with Ruaridh Jackson who earns his first cap in the Six Nations. Outside Jackson Sean Lamont and Chris Patterson come in for Ansbro and Southwell respectively.

Looking at the Scottish team I have come to the conclusion that it is a stronger team than the one which played against Wales albeit some of those replacements were enforced. The Irish team also looks stronger although I feel sorry for McFadden who didn't deserve to be dropped and would have been a better man to have on the bench than Paddy Wallace. Then again, I would have been a better man to have on the bench than Paddy Wallace too. One aspect of Kidneys bench though I think he has got spot on are the half backs. The temptation would have been there to play Strings along with O'Gara but when you think about it, the impact that himself combined with Sexton off the bench could be a potential game breaker. Watch out for the introduction of those 2 on the hour mark. I also think that we will see more from O'Brien in this game with Reddan playing at 9. Reddan is one of the best at getting his forwards running around the fringes, while Strings moves the ball away from that area more often. 

I read a prediction on an English blog that suggested Scotland would win this game by 5. The same blog also questioned as to why Earls hasn't been moved to 12 whilst proceeding to run O'Gara into the ground. I couldn't believe what I was reading and I question his mental ability after making those comments.

Scotland have been in brutal form while Ireland had a shocker against Italy but pushed France all the way. Ireland are in better shape going into this clash and the defeat in Croke Park will be fresh in their heads from last year. I smell revenge in the air for the Irish boys. It will be interesting to see how Jackon gets on for Scotland, I hope his first cap is one for him to remember personally. He shouldn't feel under any pressure from Dan Parks who for me, had a few good games last year and everybody has been raving about him since.

The fact that the Killer B's are back as well doesn't bother me as Ireland have a more than capable backrow themselves, we just don't have the the rhyming surnames for the media to hype us up! Its going to be a good game from an Irish perspective and I think we will win it with a few to spare in the end up.

RT Prediction: Ireland