Maybe some of it is tongue-in-cheek, but Scotland coach Gregor Townsend hasn’t seen the funny side.
The hype-machine has gone into over-drive since Ireland’s victory South Africa last Saturday night.
There’s been chatter about meeting the Springboks again, potentially in a World Cup final. There has been a lot of talk, predicated with a degree of certainty, that Ireland will face New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup Quarter final in three weeks time.
The only certainty, however, is that Ireland will play Scotland in their final pool game in a week and a half. Lose that without a bonus point and Ireland mightn’t even see the quarters.
We do have a strong recent record over the Scots, though, and as he was speaking on RTÉ after our win over the Springboks, that was probably what prompted Stephen Ferris to drop in a little dig to the Scots.
“All of a sudden, it’s a free hit for Scotland,” said the former Ireland backrow.
“We know how dangerous Scotland can be. They go 20 points down in a game, they just go ‘right, we’ll go out and throw it around.’
“Ireland have to keep this level up here now. They have to stay up here. There can’t be this drop-off. Because then a doubt or two might start to creep in,” he said.
And then the punch.
“So rest-up, take it easy, two weeks time, do what we always do to Scotland and give them a good beating.”
Jamie Heaslip could only laugh.
“They’re going to love you over in Scotland for that one Fez.”
Gregor Townsend, for one, isn’t enjoying this kind of commentary and speaking to the press over in Paris, he voiced his frustrations at the narrative.
“Reading a few comments after the game it looked like Ireland were already in the quarter-finals.
“Even people chatting today were saying Ireland were playing New Zealand.
“For us, maybe that has already been decided. We know we have to win our next two games, we will likely have to win by getting a bonus point or deny Ireland getting a bonus point.
Scotland's Gregor Townsend and Finn Russell look ahead to Scotland's clash with Ireland in Pool B to come in two weeks.
"Reading a few comments after the game, it looks like Ireland are already in the quarter-final!"
🏴 vs 🇮🇪#SCOvTON | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/TSw3lKFYCp
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) September 24, 2023
“We’ve got a game next week to focus on and we will get maximum points from that one first.”
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