Ireland 35-25 Scotland: Six Nations – as it happened

So that’s that from me. It’s been very enjoyable and we will speak soon, no doubt.

In the meantime, it’s Le Crunch. And England’s chance of a Slam. Dan Lucas has the MBM for that here. Go say hi and play nice, folks!

Looks like the players kissed and made up at the end of term after a fractious last quarter.

I enjoyed that, and thank you for joining me. It was pretty fast and loose and both sides were good value. Stuart Hogg’s try was blooming marvellous but the Irish were good value. The ref didn’t fancy the Scots I’d say, and their two yellow cards were extremely costly indeed, with 19 points shifted while they were down to 14. Greig Laidlaw looks pretty peeved as he chats to Martin Bayfield.

Here’s some of today’s fun in video form:

Hogg’s marvellous try is here:

And then, shortly after, his mix up with Seymour that led to Earls’ try

So, some news for you! Scotland have finished with a positive points difference for the first time in the Six Nations era! How mad is that?!

These two are both mid-table lads, but the Irish now can’t finish 5th, as theyhad feared. If England take the Slam, Ireland will be third and the Scots fourth.

79 min Oh dear, Josh Strauss knocks on from the kick off. That’s rubbish.

77 min Sutherland, on debut, is heavily involvwd in some meaty carrying from the Sctos but they cannae get through. There’s another penalty which Lamont taps as Dubar returns to the fray.

75 min Scotland are burrowing away and Laidlaw almist goes over, before another penalty and more handbags come. No idea why, but there’s loads of niggle out there. The pen is five metres out and sent to the corner again.

74 min Eventually they getright down into the left corner, and they think they’ve been obstructed. It’s a late tackle an an obstruction from Trimble on Barclay (who had kicked!) and Sctoland send it to the corner.

73 min Somehow Scotland come away with it from the scrum and they run from deep again. Dunbar still has four minutes in the bin but his team mates don’t seem to care a great deal. They are running from everywhere, and aren’t getting too far in wide narrow channels.

71 min After a brief bit of maul fun, that’s lovely stuff from Ireland in midfield. Payne’s run is lovely and it’s a vintage Irish wrap around but eventuallythe ball goes forward as it looks like it might all be opening up.

70 mins Sexton nurdles another lovely nudge through, and Hogg slices it out.

69 min Looks like Horne’s attempted tackle on Toner as he went over is what caused the brouhaha. Who knows though. The wheels have really come off for Scotland and they’ve kicked it out on the full from the restart again, which is just rubbish rugby. No excuses. Ireland will win this now.

Some suggesting Sexton may have been looking for it...

66 min Sexton stays on and kicks for touch. Rory Sutherland is on for debut for Scotland. Well done that man.

65 min The high risk stuff continues from Scotland as McInally and Taylor trade passes nicely, but eventually the ball goes forward and there’s a penalty too. Sexton looks in some discomfort, and his ankle is being strapped.

64 min From the scrum, Sexton threads one down toward Hogg on the left hand side, who returns it to Zebo, who has a lovely little dart before Sexton grubbers again. Horne does brilliantly not to be turned over and the penalty comes, which Laidlaw takes quickly. They go from deep again.

62 min Weir kicks for - and finds - touch but it’s his last act as he’s replaced by Peter Horne. Expect Scotland to be a wee bit more fluid now. Silky operator is Horne. McInally has done well since coming on and he finds Swinson, but off the top it’s knocked on in the midfield by a grizzled looking Alex Dunbar. Harley replaced Swinson.

61 min Up Scotland trundle forward as the Irish crowd make themselves heard. Scotland are still trying to run from deep! They really don’t want to kick. As I type that, Weir kicks. Long and into space it goes and OPayne leads the charge back. Sexton and Visser trade kicks before Weir goes on a meander and earns a penalty as O’Donnell comes in at the side again.

59 min Ryan flicks off the top, and Murray has half a break after one phase. Down the near side they go, but eventually Zebo knocks on. Scotland run from very deep! Long passes on their own line aren’t adviasable but they work, and they escape.

58 min Nel rumbles forward, and finally Duncan Weir kicks, but that’s not clever. It’s gone straight out because Zebo takes it smarly with one foor in and one out. Ireland throw just outside the 22.

57 min Scotland are still in this and I’m not really sure how! Duncan Taylor is having another good game. I’m a massive fan of his work. They run from deep before a cross kick comes in which Tommy Seymour takes well. They still can’t get out of their 22, mind.

53 min This is Scotland’s first put in! Long time coming, eh. Laidlaw gets it back and feeeds out to Seymour who charges. Huge hit goes in from Payne on Weit but there’s a penalty given against O’Donnell for coming in at the side. Weir sends it to the the corner. Strauss on for Hardie.

52 min Some phaseplay from the Scots, for once. Eventually Earls dirupts but it’s knocked on and goes out and all sorts of other fumbles. Scrum to Scotland in the Irish half.

50 min Ireland kick long from their 22 to Hogg, who sets off on one of his darts. McInally’s on for Ford, by the way. Visser loses the ball in contact, and Zebo fires a beautiful kick downfield. Doesn’t go into touch.

47 min Toner claims Best’s throw, and the Scots give away a penalty. We go again.

46 min O’Donnell charges through the middle, and Payne offloads to Henshaw who breaks down the near side. Eventually, just at the big moment, Weir nips in and runs it out in the corner. Vital interception and Ireland have a lineout.

45 min Ireland keep it pretty tight and another contestable bomb goes up, which Weir takes well on halway. Scorland probe, but don’t get far, and Weit kicks to Zebo, who recycles.

43 min The scrums have been strangely steady so far in this match but we have a reset here, of course we do. It’s Ireland’s put in just outside their 22. So blooming frustrating. Eventually Heaslip picks up at the base and then Sexton kicks downfield. Hogg sends it back and Murray fields well.

41 min A little Weir half-break take Scotland out of the 22 and Ireland give away a penalty. Laidlaw takes it quickly and through his hands and Hogg’s they make about 4o metres, before Swinson and Dunbar give some go-forward. Richie Gray rumbles up on the left hand side before Weir throws a forward pass which Seymour knocks on. Silly Scotland.

Here’s that Hogg score. It really is very lovely indeed.

Does anyone have that try’s number? Think I want to run off to Paris with it. My parents would certainly approve if I introduced them to it.

This was Scotland’s calamitous moment that led to Ireland’s second try. Johnny Sexton’s lovely dinky nudge bounced awkwardly for Hogg and Seymour, and it bounced into Keith Earls’ hands. Easy.

Dan Lucas, MBMer-in-chief, has just given me a very neat little stat. On the outrageous mazy run for his score, Stuart Hogg ran 59 metres. The Scots have made just 87 metres with ball in hand all half! CJ Stander on his own, made 16 carries on his own that half. Serious effort.

38 min Ford finds Gray at the lineout, and Duncan Taylor goes for a wee rumble in the midfield. It goes wide and Dunbar carries. Going back the other way, Taylor finds a neat flick and it’s kicked into the 22, where the bounce denies the Scots. The ball is refusing to go out of play!

36 min Eventually the Scots get a penalty at the breakdown, and John Barclay will return to the field. Great work from WP Nel. Weir kicks to the right hand touch line.

35 min John Hardie hasn’t had his most conspicuous game of the season but he’s making a nuisance of himself in the air and on the floor now. Ireland go wide and it finds McGrath who recycles and it comes back to Heaslip who brings some thunder. Just probing away are Ireland.