Donal Lenihan looks ahead to Saturday’s final round of Guinness Six Nations games with the Triple Crown on the line between Ireland and Scotland at Aviva Stadium.<\/p>\n
It’s been hugely entertaining with a big surprise in every round.<\/p>\n
And there was a change in the format this year where you play three games in a row to open and finish then with two matches.<\/p>\n
It’s been tougher on the players but brilliant in terms of continuity for the fans.<\/p>\n
Given that (Scotland) have lost 11 in a row (against Ireland), it’s a very even match. They might be favourites in their own eyes.<\/p>\n
That was an extraordinary performance against France<\/a> given what they did to us in the opening round.<\/p>\n They scored seven tries and 50 points but at the same time, they leaked six tries and 40 points.<\/p>\n We know they have the best back line in the championship, an incredible centre pairing, Darcy Graham and Kyle Steyn on the wing – two outstanding players.<\/p>\n They have a massive attacking threat. But the big question for me is how they perform up front.<\/p>\n When I saw earlier in the week that both Scott Cummings and Gregor Brown had been ruled out<\/a> – the second row pairing who were outstanding against France – that tipped the balance for me.<\/p>\n But then we found out yesterday that James Ryan is out<\/a>. So that evens things up.<\/p>\n So it’s one of those kind of games. But I think Ireland will go after them up front.<\/p>\n Listen to the RT\u00c9 Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts<\/a>, Spotify<\/a> or wherever you get your podcasts<\/a>, and email us at sportpodcasts@rte.ie<\/p>\n \n Ireland, if they have an achilles heel, their scrum has been questionable. Tom O’Toole is a tighthead playing at loosehead.<\/p>\n But then I’d say Ireland’s lineout is stronger. So it’s fine margins. They could come down to things like yellow cards. It’s that tight a game to call.<\/p>\n If we have good weather conditions, Scotland play in a way that is certainly massively exciting.<\/p>\n The only thing I would say, and you go back to that game in Murrayfield last week, the way France had a loose kind of a game, a counter-attacking game.<\/p>\n That actually suited Scotland. I can’t see Ireland playing that way. So Ireland won’t facilitate the kind of game Scotland want to play, so it will be tighter from that aspect.<\/p>\n But confidence, I think Ireland are in the Scottish heads. The sight of the green jersey seems to have a big effect on those Scottish fans.<\/p>\n But there’s no question Scotland are travelling with more confidence than they’ve had in a while. But I’m going to stick with our own fellas.<\/p>\n A very tight, marginal game and I can’t wait for it. There’s a Triple Crown – forget about the championship – I think Ireland go out, win the game, win the Triple Crown and see what transpires in Paris later that evening.<\/p>\n