Although there was the usual mayhem in his fixture, especially in a disconcerting first half of repeated head-knocks and four HIAs, ultimately Ireland emerged from Sunday’s 32-18 Six Nations win in Murrayfield seemingly unscathed, as well as on top of the table.
What’s more, Joe McCarthy will be back in the mix and could feature for Leinster away to Ospreys on Friday night, while Mack Hansen and possibly even Tadhg Furlong could be available for Ireland’s game away to Wales on Saturday week.
“That would be the case,” said Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby of his side’s apparent wellbeing. “A few guys will go back now and play for their provinces this week, but it looks like, at the moment, we’re in pretty good health.”
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There is plenty of scope for rotation, as Ireland have done for third round fixtures in the past, but it was the hesitation and doubtful expression in Easterby’s face that suggested changes will be kept to a minimum.
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“Yeah it’s a tough one. No one wants to give up wearing the jersey, no one wants to give up the opportunity to play and perform. It’s a tricky one. We’re very, very fortunate. We’ve lost a few players in the last couple of weeks, Mack (Hansen) on Thursday, but I don’t think there are many players that are going to be going ‘Do you know what? I don’t fancy playing this next game’. Or the next one.
“It will be a balance. We’ve got to make sure we keep growing the group and growing experiences and hopefully that means some will get an opportunity, but obviously some others won’t.”
HIAs for Tadhg Beirne and Ryan Baird, Rónan Kelleher receiving attention, and the prolonged treatment for Scotland’s Darcy Graham after his clash of heads with Finn Russell, which ended both of their involvement on Sunday, brought to mind the carnage of two years ago.
At Murrayfield in 2023 Ireland lost Caelan Doris, Dan Sheehan and Iain Henderson within the first 25 minutes, with Kelleher to follow, leaving Cian Healy to pack down at hooker and Josh van der Flier to take over the throwing duties.
However, agreeing with Doris, Easterby said the experience of their last visit to Edinburgh stood to them on Sunday.
“Two years ago we came here and had a bit of chaos. Even though Fogs (scrum coach, John Fogarty) thought his world was about to end, the players came in and Faz (Andy Farrell) spoke in the way that just allowed them to say ‘it’s a challenge, let’s get on with it’.
“We’ve faced those challenges head-on over the last couple of years, and we dealt with them and we haven’t allowed it to derail us in any way, and I think that’s just the group that we’ve got.
“Caelan mentioned the number of caps and experience we’ve got in the group. It allows you to make good decisions. Guys have had experiences throughout their career to make them make good decisions in those moments. It means we’re pretty calm and accurate off the back of it.”
Ireland’s victory over Scotland was the only away win of the opening two rounds and leaves them atop the 2025 Six Nations table with a maximum 10 points, an outcome Easterby would happily have taken before the opening game and indeed on Sunday morning.
“England at home, first game of the championship and to do what we did last week, it was nowhere near perfect but we knew that this was always going to be a pivotal game in coming away from home and the history of the game and everything that we felt that we could put into place, and I think it didn’t disappoint, the performance from our end. It was crucial that we did what we did today (Sunday) and continue that momentum.”
Easterby also singled out 21-year-old outhalf Sam Prendergast for the maturity of his performance, helping Ireland play in the right areas of the pitch and controlling possession.
“I thought we played in the right way here away from home, and Sam was a big part of that in the way he dictated where we played in the game, and part of that was us forcing ourselves on Scotland and not letting up and not allowing them to dictate at home the pace and the momentum of the game.
“It’s a vital part of playing away from home, making sure that you attack the game in the right way but you also play in the right areas and allow yourself to get into the game.”
On his fourth successive start, and in his first Test on foreign soil, Prendergast completed the 80 minutes for the first time on Sunday. While he was targeted in defence and allowing Ben White that late consolation try was a clear blemish, Prendergast also made some good tackles, clearly trying to improve that part of his game.
Bringing on Jack Crowley at fullback allowed Easterby and attack coach Andrew Goodman a look at the possibility of fielding two playmaking outhalves.
“I think the game sort of changed a bit in that last 15,” said Easterby, “but I think it was just a bit of a chat with Goodie (Goodman) around getting a couple of first receivers on the pitch. It felt like we could play two-sided against them. Jack’s first involvement was a great Garryowen take, a brilliant receive at the back.
“We felt like a bit of freshness was going to be important in that last 10or 15 minutes, but they probably had more possession than we had in that period.”
