Scotland 16-32 Ireland: Six Nations 2025 – as it happened | Six Nations 2025

Here’s Luke McLaughlin’s report from Edinburgh.

Same old story for Scotland, or as Luke says, “the song remains the same”.

Thanks for joining me. We’ve had six games in the Six Nations so far and really only one, maybe two have been decent.

Let’s hope this break revitalises the competition.

Catch you soon.

An update on the injured players.

Graham has been taken to hospital for a scan. Russell showed signs of concussion which is why he couldn’t get back out.

For those catching up, the Scotland pair collided with each other as they scrambled to defend the line. Head on head. There was a long stoppage before Graham was stretchered off with his head held in a brace.

A dejected Rory Darge had this to say:

It’s tough to deal with [the injuries to Russell and Graham]. They’re two very important players. That was tough. The boys hung in there but we’re disappointed with the result.

The difference was the clinicalness. We had a few opportunities but couldn’t take them and convert them.

That’s a sore loss so we have to take that on the chin.

Now the Irish skipper, Caelan Dorris:

Definitely feel satisfaction after that. We knew Scotland are a dangerous team and full of belief, so we targeted a fast start. We did that really well. They cam back firing and had a purple patch, but pleasing from us overall.

The competition within the squad is great. It pushes the standard up in training in the week. Whoever gets on the starting team or the bench is fighting for a position.

Yup, utterly dominant. I tipped France to win the grand slam before the start of the competition but it’s now hard to look beyond Ireland, especially with their game against Dupont et al will take place in Dublin. Chuck in the fact that Leinster haven’t lost a game all season and suddenly this outfit looks pretty impressive.

Here’s the player of the match, Sam Prendergast:

It was an unbelievable game, a savage atmosphere, I couldn’t believe it when the anthems were sung. We started unebliably, it wasn’t perfect but we found our moments. It wasn’t perfect but it was better than last week and we’ll keep working on getting better.

In terms of distribution, when you look across the backline and the platform our forwards give us, it makes my job easier and makes me look a bit better.

I’ve had a quick glance at X. Between the hate speech and bots is a lot of questions around Gregor Townsend. Has he taken this team as far as he can? His contract runs out in April 2026. Should the Scottish board be looking elsewhere before then? His team were so underwhelming today. The concussion to Finn Russell was pivotal, but they got bossed by Ireland’s forwards and at the breakdown. Is that coaching? Ireland certainly look like a better coached team.

Full-time: Scotland 16-32 Ireland

80 min: Schoeman unfurls a wonder dummy! That’ll make a compilation of prop highlights for sure. The move fizzles to nothing but Healy was totally sold there. Lovely prop on prop shenanigans. But we’ll have a scrum to Ireland for a Scottish knock-on and that’ll be that.

78 min: Both sides look knackered. Both going through the motions a touch. Prendergast launches a hopeful high kick that Lowe knocks back. It ends with a knock on and a scrum to Ireland.

Prendergast has just been awarded the player of the match award. I thought it was Gibson-Park, but no stiff complaints from me. The young 10 has been brilliant.

TRY! Scotland 16-32 Ireland (White, 76)

74 min: Scotland get a gimme courtesy of a free-kick from the Irish scrum. Schoeman takes it on. There’s a lot of lateral running. Kinghorn unfurls an offload. There’s a lot of huff but not much progress. They get the penalty after Sheehan strays offside. Better in terms of number of phases, but no punch, no zip to get over the line. Ireland kept them at arm’s length throughout.

72 min: After Scotland won a penalty and then set up a maul downfield, Beirne, who has been great, stepped in, wrapped up the ball carrier and wouldn’t let go, winning the scrum for his team. It’s as if every time Scotland threaten to assert themselves, they’re swatted back down.

Penalty! Scotland 11-32 Ireland (Prendergast, 71)

69 min: Now Ireland win a scrum penalty. Hurd penalised. Porter bullied him. They’re just better, in every department.

69 min: Crowley, at fullback I think, rises high to take a clean catch if the lofted ball. It’s all a bit cagey now. Ireland spill the ball at the breakdown on halfway. Scrum to Scotland.

66 min: Spilled in contact by Scotland straight off the back of the line-out. Just not good enough. Matt Fagerson took too long to pass the ball and was sacked.

65 min: Ireland infringe at the line-out so Scotland have a clearing penalty. They blast it downfield for a line-out. Still in their own territory. Something has to happen now or it’s not going to happen for Scotland.

64 min: Scotland are trying as best they can but the relentless pressure from the Irish defence is rushing men in blue. So all these knock-ons are a consequence of forced errors, rather than the messy spills they might seem. Another one on halfway after Scotland’s attack flattered to deceive ends with an Irish scrum. Prendergast rakes a brilliant kick that bobbles out around eight metres from the Scotland try line. Crowley comes on for Nash.

61 min: Just relentless from Ireland. Just about every breakdown is a contest and the men in green are winning it by a distance. Conan with a steal and that’s a penalty for the visitors. Scotland just can’t get any continuity. But the line-out hasn’t quite worked. This long one – outside the 15 – is not straight so it’s a Scottish scrum on halfway.

TRY! Scotland 11-29 Ireland (Conan, 60)

56 min: Scotland win a penalty after Doris forgets the rules and enters a ruck from the side. Ashman, on for Cherry, finds his jumper. Schoeman, on as well, cuts a neat line with a strong carry. They’ve meandered from left to right. Dobbie straightens but gets flattened. They’re back in their own half having started the move on Ireland’s 22. Now it’s a penalty for Ireland with Bealham getting in over the ball before Fagerson or Darge could react. Prendergast monsters a kick down field. Ireland with the throw just beyond Scotland’s 22.

TRY! Scotland 11-24 Ireland (Lowe, 54)

51 min: That’s a bit of a coach killer. Scotland spill the ball from the restart so Ireland have a scrum feed on Scotland’s 22. But the home team come away with the ball a phase later. Jones I think with a steal. White box kicks a contestable that bounces kindly for Lowe who screams onto the ball. In a flash Ireland are motoring upfield. Doris has it and finds Gibson-Park in the tram. The scrumhalf kicks ahead. Kinghorn gathers but is forced back over his line. Ireland have the scrum five out. All comes from the spilled restart.

Penalty! Scotland 11-17 Ireland (Kinghorn, 50)

48 min: Penalty against Ireland as Scotland’s set move down a big open side on the right of the scrum makes inroads. Jordan had it fizzing until Dobbie stepped off his right wing. He almost wriggled his way to the line but was held up. We come back for the offside call. Kinghorn points to the poles.

47 min: Scotland come so close! Brilliant set move that saw Jones burst through a gap in midfield as Ireland’s backline bit in to try and intercept. From there it was all moving at breakneck speed. Jones to Kinghorn who cantered upfield. He had van der Merwe outside him but dummied instead as he cut infield. He was tackled and then Darge charged forward. Scotland recycled before Henshaw went in to make a tackle. The Irish centre knocked-on. Was that a deliberate knock-on or a natural tackling motion? The latter say the officials despite the boos. So Scotland have a scrum about five metres out. They’ve also just replaced their entire front row. Scotland have exploded out of the shed for this second half.

45 min: Scotland nick an Irish line-out on the left. Sheehan on for Kelleher but that hasn’t fixed the set-piece. No bother, they have it back soon after though Prendergast spills it backwards and is soon tangled up by two Scottish tacklers. The home side have definitely upped their tempo. They’ll have a scrum on halfway after Lowe knocked-on as he tried to disrupt Kinghorn’s off-load following a high kick.

Penalty! Scotland 8-17 Ireland (Kinghorn, 43)

43 min: Scotland work through the phases and it’s more direct, more energised. A few off-loads keep it going and they’re into the 22. Beirne loses his feet and Scotland have a penalty bang in front. Great start to the half. They point to the sticks.

41 min: The one thing for Scotland is that they now have the wind at their backs. Gibson-Park’s first box clearance caught in the sky and didn’t go as far as he’d have liked.

How we feeling, Scottish fans?

Hopefully more upbeat than Stephen Holliday, who simply had this to say:

“Death. Taxes. Scottish rugby false dawns.”

Grim, but he’s not wrong.

Anyway, 40 minutes to come. Can they pull off the comeback of all comebacks?

All I asked for was a good game.

We’ve not got one. At least not yet. Scotland have been poor. Ireland have been fine. This feels like a mid-table team scrambling against a better outfit playing within themselves.

Maurice Hynd is more direct: “One-sided borefest. It always is. Scotland make stupid mistakes under pressure. Ireland can light the cigars and put their slippers on.”

Half-time: Scotland 5-17 Ireland

TRY! Scotland 5-17 Ireland (van der Merwe, 40)

40 min: Scotland win a penalty after Doris picks and goes off the back of the scrum. Can Scotland land a blow? They pick and go…

38 min: Scotland blow another opportunity! My goodness, they’ve been poor. They win the line-out and set the maul that doesn’t really go anywhere despite some backs lending their weight to the cause. Ireland hold firm and disrupt the maul, coming away with it. Perhaps some green jerseys were flirting with the offside line, but that’s Scotland’s own toothlessness that cost them. Ireland’s scrum about 7m from their own line on their left.

36 min: Beirne is lifted and steals the ball. Scotland blow another chance from a line-out inside Ireland’s red zone. They’re back on halfway trying to work some space but the green wall holds. But this is better from Scotland as they win two collisions which gives them front foot ball. Ryan is slow to roll away and is penalised even though Ireland twice came close to nick the ball on the deck. Messy stuff. The headline is Scotland have a penalty that they kick to touch around 10m out from the Irish line in the right corner.

34 min: Prendergast scuffs a kick which hands Scotland the chance to throw to the line around Ireland’s 22. Beirne disrupts the line-out but Scotland keep possession though they’re pushed backwards. Aki tackles Kinghorn and in a flash Scotland are back on halfway. Lowe almost steals it but knocks-on around the deck. There’s also an off-side call, Aki this time. So Scotland get another chance to strike inside the red zone. A good kick finds touch around 10m out on the right.

TRY! Scotland 0-17 Ireland (Doris, 31)

31 min: Ireland win the line-out on the right and move it fast down the line. Prendergast is caught by Jones which means the pass finds nothing but green grass, but Jones’s hand caught the ball as he made the tackle so Ireland get the scrum inside Scotland’s 22 with a short blindside on the left and big open space down the right.

30 min: There’s another charge down! White’s box is blocked by Porter. Scotland have to throw five from their own line. Ireland don’t contest though. Not sure why. Either way, the relieving kick from McDowall isn’t long enough so Ireland get the throw inside Scotland’s 22. The home side are losing on the scoreboard but getting hammered in the kicking contest. To make things worse, Russell doesn’t look healthy enough to carry on. Jordan will have to play fly-half for the rest of this game.

28 min: Better from Scotland. Their line-out is working and Sutherland makes good ground on a stiff carry. Jones more involved. White has it zipping, multiple phases, but O’Mahoney stoops to steal. Ireland’s defence is just as slick as their attack and they pick their moments to turn the ball over. Scotland get lucky with the clearing kick of their own as it bounces off of Nash, so they have the chance to throw, albeit inside their own 22.