Club International: Ireland 30 Scotland 13

Scotland could not extricate themselves from the stranglehold that Ireland achieved in the setpiece and that ultimately proved their undoing in the inaugural club international at Donnybrook tonight.

However the Scots’ head coach Gary Parker could take pride from the stirring continuity his team demonstrated when they wrestled possession and their desire to offload and play a varied game was creditable.

Plaudits should go to flanker Angus Martyn who looked to run all night, whether in attack or defence, and there was a similar big-hearted workload from his abrasive No 8 Andrew Dunlop

Parker acknowledged: “The pleasing thing for us was that we looked to play the rugby behind the scrum. The disappointing element was the setpiece and that’s where Ireland controlled matters.”

Parker also believes that this match should be the beginning of this particular story rather than a novelty one-off. “We have to provide the vehicle for the club players to get to the next level,” he said.

The early indications were a portent of the difficulties Scotland would face – their first two lineouts went against the throw and their first scrum creaked ominously.

Yet from a sustained attack, sparked by Dunlop and featuring Murray Strang, Ireland infringed and Mike Adamson landed a penalty to give Scotland a 3-0 lead after seven minutes.

Better followed six minutes later; Martyn blazed away from a lineout and both he and Moray Low made drives in fierce Scottish continuity. Adamson then broke superbly and off-loaded in the tackle to Mark Robertson. The winger’s angle was choice and he steamed off his wing and under the posts for a try out of the top drawer. Adamson converted for 10-0.

Robertson was undergoing a stern examination from the trenchant running of his opposite number, Derek Keane, and although one thrust from the powerfully built Irishman was quelled, slack defence from the subsequent lineout enabled home flanker Conor Hartigan to cross for Ireland’s first try. Gareth Steenson converted and levelled the scores after 27 minutes with a penalty for a scrum binding offence.

In first-half injury time, Ireland’s forwards, who had threatened earlier on rumbling drives, got the bit between their teeth for No 8 David Quinlan to be credited with a score. Steenson converted for a 17-10 home advantage at the break.

Inspired work by Tam McVie, snaffling a loose ball on the deck from a sclaffed kick by Adamson set up a penalty chance for Scotland seven minutes after the restart, however Adamson’s radar was still awry.

It was restored in the 52nd minute as he rewarded the Scots for another encouraging passage of inventive rugby with his second penalty.

Steenson immediately cancelled out that goal with a kick of his own as Scotland’s lineout woes continued.

Trailing 13-20 inside the last quarter, Rory Couper sought to energise the Scots. He tapped and ran from his own mark inside his 22 and with the admirable Martyn and sub Alasdhair McFarlane providing worthy support Couper was only denied by a brilliant Irish cover tackle at the other end.

Despite Scotland’s attempts to play off limited possession, Ireland closed out the game through Steenson’s third penalty and an injury time try by right wing Niall O’Brien, converted by substitute David Delaney.

Ireland Club International team: Denis Hurley; Niall O’Brien, Stephen Grissing, Glen Telford, Derek Keane; Gareth Steenson, Fiach O’Loughlin; Niall Conlon, Matt Crockett, Simon Shaw, Marc Warburton, Alan Maher, Peter Malone, David Quinlan, Conor Hartigan. Subs; Kevin Corrigan, Robert Sweeney, Rory McGrath, Kevin Croke, Gerry Hurley, David Delaney, Ciaran O’Boyle.

Scotland Club International team (sponsored by Standard Life Investments): Mike Adamson (Glasgow Hawks); Mark Robertson, Jamie Murray (both Melrose), Stewart Smith (Glasgow Hawks), Rory Couper (Boroughmuir); Murray Strang (Glasgow Hawks), Calum Cusiter (Boroughmuir); Bruce McNeil (Hawick), Wayne Mitchell (Melrose), Moray Low (Aberdeen GSFP), Bruce MacFarlane (Stirling County), Richie Maxton (Glasgow Hawks), Tam McVie (Heriot’s) CAPTAIN, Andy Dunlop (Biggar), Angus Martyn (Boroughmuir). Subs: Sandy Warnock (Glasgow Hawks) for MacFarlane and Steven Duffy (Glasgow Hawks) for Smith (both half time), A Jamie Murray (Melrose) for McVie (57 mins), Alasdhair McFarlane (Ayr) for Cusiter and Richie Borthwick (Stewart’s-Melville FP) for Adamson (both 60 mins), Elliott McLaren (Biggar) for McNeil and David Cunningham (Boroughmuir) for Mitchell (both 71 mins).

Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)

This article was posted on 11-Mar-2006, 00:21 by Hugh Barrow.