Josh van der Flier ready for a fierce battle against Scottish backrow

Josh van der Flier knows as much as he needs to about Jamie Richie, Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson, the Scotland backrow that started against France.

Given their performance in Paris last time out, injury aside, they will be gathering again in Edinburgh for a tender piece of Ireland on Sunday.

When Van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony and Caelan Doris commune in Murrayfield at the back of the Irish pack, that Scottish threesome will present no surprise. There will be no white rabbits pulled out of hats, no big reveal or astonishing acts. But the task will be not be uncomplicated and far from painless.

It has been at least half a dozen years since the Killer Bs of John Barclay, Johnnie Beattie and Kelly Brown marketed their distinctively named brand, one that survives even though the three played just eight international Test matches together.

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Nonetheless Scotland have been efficient at conveyor-belting backrows and have used players wisely to play the positions. Even now they are continuing with the trend of playing two sevens.

Barclay and Watson did it for a few years until 2019 and now Scottish captain Richie and Watson have continued the dual approach with Richie wearing the number six on his shirt, Fagerson settled at number eight.

With both Ireland and Scotland thriving on quick ball with an ability to move it through playmaker Johnny Sexton and the mercurial Finn Russell, the sharp operators, tricksters and rascals of the backrow are fully switched on to having a heavy say in the weekend’s outcome.

“Yeah, Jamie Ritchie is a great player, a really, really good guy as well,” says Van der Flier. “I’ve chatted to him a good few times after games. He’s very impressive on the field, a huge breakdown threat and a good ball carrier. He’s good in the lineout, a really good all round backrow.

“I know he’ll be motivating the Scotland players in his role as a leader but they won’t need much motivation with the prospect of a Triple Crown for them if they win.

[ Nick Timoney and Ciarán Frawley named in extended 37-man Ireland squad for Scotland game ]

“So we’ll certainly be ready for a pretty motivated and pumped up team and thinking of their backrow from my perspective.”

Ironically coach Gregor Townsend came off the pitch after the France game and called it Scotland’s best performance of the championship, even though they had just lost.

Van der Flier sees it not unlike Townsend did, an improved Scottish side that felt the big scalp was there to be taken in St Denis with the same ambitious notion now lending itself to the Aviva Stadium.

“The way they’ve attacked, the way they’ve blended all the areas of their game ... I think you look at them now and the performances they’ve put in, they’ve been pretty all-round performances in terms of the way the forwards are playing, the way the backs are playing and the way they’re linking up.

“They look like a really, really dangerous team and I think we’re all aware of that.”

Enough at least not to mention the two prohibited words and hex the whole operation. It’s not far from Ireland’s mind and as Van der Flier explains, was talked about at the beginning of the tournament. But now more Hail Marys are coming out of player’s mouths than fancy talk of an Irish Grand Slam.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a banned word, no,” he answers diligently. “I think with the threat that we have this weekend, it would be naive of us to start talking about a Grand Slam.”

All in all, the Irish mood is wary caution with a veneer of assurance and backbone. Players have woken up to what needs doing in big games and winning has allowed them bounce into camp week to week, working hard and willing it to never end.

But picking holes in the performances, although all of them sweet victories, as well as self-examination comes with the territory.

“Every week I have things I wouldn’t have been happy with from the week before,” says Van der Flier. “There’s been loads of chat in different areas. But overall, the emphasis is on needing to improve.”

Dominating the breakdown shredder. Always the first line of a winning script.