Gibson-Park guides Irish to Triple Crown

By PAUL REES

Ireland …………..26pts

Tries: Sheehan 16, Healy 27, Van der Flier 59, Murray 78

Conversions: Sexton 17, 28, 60

Scotland …………..5pts

Tries: Schoeman 33

IRELAND have been a team transformed since Jamison Gibson-Park took over at scrum-half from Conor Murray.

A team that was highly structured and obsessed with keeping possession now lives more off its wits thanks to the New Zealander who has brought a touch of the All Blacks to Dublin.

This was not Ireland's most clinical performance of the championship, but they were still far too accomplished for a Scotland team that lacked a focal point with Finn Russell relegated to the bench. They secured the Triple Crown for the 12th time, but they will have to wait until next year to follow it up with the title after France's Grand Slam.

Gibson-Park tormented Scotland with his speed of thought and action, whether taking penalties quickly, spotting unguarded corners at the breakdown or moving the ball after a tackle with alacrity. He has given Ireland width and brought their back three into the game where previously they mainly chased kicks, an extra dimension that makes them World Cup contenders.

Their seventh consecutive victory over Scotland was fairly evenly contested but never really in doubt. Ireland's capacity to convert pressure into points contrasted with the carelessness of their opponents who blew their moment eight minutes into the second-half.

Ireland took a 14-point lead in the first-half through close range tries by the front rowers Dan Sheehan and Cian Healy but were pegged back before the interval when Scotland's outstanding player, the prop Pierre Schoeman who covered more metres after Ireland's No.8 Jack Conan than any other forward and made 11 tackles, forced his way over the line.

Chris Harris's kick just inside Ireland's half took a deflection and bounced kindly for Stuart Hogg. The Scotland captain ran into the 22 with one defender covering across, Hugo Keenan. It looked as he veered to the right that he would draw his opposite number and pass inside to one of a trio of players in support, Sam Johnson, Kyle Steyn and Harris, making a try, and conversion, more likely.

Instead, Hogg went for the line himself on the ground where two years previously he had dropped the ball over the line. He was Scotland's most threatening player with the ball in hand, always with an eye for the counter-attack, but just as his dropped try-scoring pass against France last month was tide-turning, so it proved again as Keegan's tackle took his opponent into touch from the side and denied him the chance to reach out for the line.

A converted try would have brought Scotland to within two points of their hosts and a losing bonus point would have taken them into third place ahead of the final match in Paris, but they left with what they deserved, nothing. The decision to drop Russell hurt only themselves and the indiscipline which had plagued them all tournament cost them 15 penalties.

Three of Ireland's four tries followed penalties which were kicked to touch. The third, on 59 minutes, was scored by Josh van der Flier and effectively decided the match. The fourth, 90 seconds from the end, came after James Lowe resisted attempts to smother him in a tackle and popped the ball to Murray who rode the challenges of Darcy Graham and Rory Darge.

It marked the end of a match that had started in anarchic fashion, again a sign of how Ireland have moved on from the Joe Schmidt days when everything was proscribed and risk all but eliminated.

A reason why Scotland are yet again reflecting on another campaign of expectation unfulfilled came after nine minutes when they were awarded a penalty which Hogg kicked to touch. George Turner's throw had too much on it for Jonny Gray and the chance of a drive to the line turned into a retreat.

In contrast, Ireland tended to nail those moments, apart from one in the second half when Matt Fagerson stole a lineout. Scotland's back row remained steadfast, but it was in possession where they were exposed, lacking ideas without Russell who immediately after his belated introduction put Mark Bennett into a gap.