Time was when Murrayfield was something of a graveyard for Irish teams. The commanding 36-6 win in 2003 ended a run of nine successive defeats dating back to the opening round victory in 1985 by a new, attack-minded side which kick-started an unexpected title and Triple Crown.
And since 2001, Ireland have won on eight of their last 10 visits to the Scottish capital. But there have been plenty of close escapes and a couple of costly hiccups when Ireland were as much the warm favourites as they will be again next Sunday.
2009
Six Nations, fourth round: Scotland 15 Ireland 22
Nothing could match the drama of Ronan O’Gara’s match-winning drop goal in Cardiff a week later, and Stephen Jones’s miss from halfway, yet this penultimate leg in the first Slam for 61 years was even more uncomfortable in ways.
Declan Kidney shook the team up by bringing in Rory Best, Denis Leamy and Peter Stringer. Ireland would have trailed by more than 9-6 at the break but for Brian O’Driscoll covering about 60 metres to make a try-saving tackle on Phil Godman.
Ultimately, Stringer set up a 52nd-minute try by Jamie Heaslip, on for the injured Leamy, to calm frayed nerves and O’Gara’s boot steered Ireland through a taut affair. Heaslip had celebrated prematurely with a fist in the air as he crossed the line, prompting a disapproving Kidney to remark: “Yes, it was a good try when he touched it down ... eventually!”
2013
Six Nations, third round: Scotland 12 Ireland 8
Ireland had won away to Wales before losing 12-6 at home to England. Craig Gilroy’s try in the 45th minute had put them 8-0 ahead but the 21-year-old debutant Paddy Jackson, surprisingly picked ahead of O’Gara after Johnny Sexton had been ruled out, missed the conversion as well as two penalties. Greig Laidlaw landed four from four and that was pretty much all she wrote.
Speaking to launch the upcoming Ireland-England Legends Match on St Patrick’s Day at Energia Park on Monday, Devin Toner had to be reminded that he actually played that day as a replacement.
“I only remember disappointment afterwards,” said Seán O’Brien. “We would have been expected to win obviously and when you don’t it’s not a good day at the office. And it’s obviously a terrible game when you look back on it.”
2015
Six Nations, fifth round: Scotland 10 Ireland 40
After Ireland had lost in Cardiff a week previously, England (+37) led Ireland (+33) and Wales (+12) on points difference going into the final round. The Welsh began with a 61-20 win in Rome, meaning Ireland had to beat Scotland by at least 21 points. Helped by two O’Brien tries and a try-saving tackle by Heaslip on Stuart Hogg, Ireland set England a winning target of 26. In a wild game at Twickenham, watched by the Irish squad, supporters and media alike in various quarters of Murrayfield, France restricted England to a 55-35 win before Rory Kockott, to his credit, finally kicked the ball dead and even punched the air.
Ask O’Brien for his first memory of that day, and he laughed: “The craic afterwards! What comes to mind? The whole day, the whole occasion. How we executed the plan. We starved them of ball, defensively we were good. The enjoyment factor afterwards, the anticipation of watching the other game.”
As for his own performance, O’Brien said: “I had said to myself that day I needed a big one to rock on with the team. And it was nice to get on the scoresheet twice.”
Toner recalled: “That’s a happy memory of the lineout move that came off to a tee, where we went over the 15 [metre line], came down and slipped it to Seanie and had a wonder try. That was brilliant, loved it.”
And the coronation.
“I do remember, absolutely, upstairs with pint in hand, watching the game and being frustrated. They were trying to play from their own five-metre line but yeah, eventually we won it and we went back out on the pitch in our suits and all the fans still there in the stadium, which was great.
“Great memories.”
2017
Six Nations, first round: Scotland 27 Ireland 22
Ireland had beaten the All Blacks the previous November but Sexton was ruled out and, infamously, the Irish bus was late to the ground. Trailing by 21-8 at half-time, Ireland came back to lead entering the last quarter through tries by Iain Henderson and Jackson before two late Laidlaw penalties.
“Was that the day they had the bag piper walking and playing in front of our bus?” says Toner. “We were just: ‘Get the f**ker out of the way and drive by him.’ We were crawling behind him. Was it a tactic? I don’t know.
“I hate being late. I love getting there early and just getting settled. It does rock you a little bit being late. It’s just annoying really, and you have to rush. I’m sure it’s not going to happen again.”
“Nowadays, all those things are planned, so if we are late, let’s not get flustered, we’ll rock on,” says O’Brien. “Back then it probably wasn’t talked about enough whereas, if we see Joe [Schmidt] or the other management getting a little flustered around you, it does make players a little anxious seeing that.
“It’s just so different nowadays. They’re mentally in such a good place and I don’t think anything fazes them at the minute.”
