Since failing to achieve a single victory over Scotland for the entirety of the 1990s, Ireland have now won 24 of the last 30 tests between the two sides, and to say that Ireland have their number in rugby would be a gross understatement.
Ahead of their Rugby World Cup Pool B clash between Ireland and Scotland tomorrow, Scotland centre Huw Jones spoke to media and discussed a specific problem with his side that has let them down in recent encounters.
Whenever we look back at those games, there’s so many opportunities we haven’t taken.
You can’t ever have a perfect game but something we’ve been striving for is being more consistent and putting together an 80-minute performance, staying alive in every moment and really staying focused.
There have been a few games where just a five- or 10-minute loss of focus has cost us the game. We know we can’t have that, but if we also know that if we have focus for 80 minutes, stay in every second of it and take our chances when they arise, that we can beat top teams.
Ireland Have An Excellent Record Over Scotland Since 2000
12 March 2023; Garry Ringrose of Ireland is tackled by Huw Jones of Scotland during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Scotland and Ireland at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
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A good example of these '10 minutes losses of focus' can be seen in the last meeting between the two teams during this year's Six Nations.
With Ireland on the back-foot, having suffered an injury crisis at hooker, they put the game to bed in five second half minutes with quick-fire tries from Jack Conan and James Lowe.
"I don’t know why it happens," continued Jones.
"ENTREObviously we need to stop doing it. I guess it’s just a loss of focus. At this level, any small loss of focus or mistake - you see it in all the games – will cost you a try. It can happen to anyone. It becomes more obvious when the game is closer and you look back and say 'that’s the moment where we conceded points and that’s why we lost'.
"It’s just cutting out small errors and staying in it. We have spoken about our animation and communication, keeping us all connected in every moment for that 80 minutes."
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