Ireland vs. Scotland: Winners and Losers from International Match
Ireland's preparations for the Rugby World Cup continued along a successful route on Saturday after they defeated Scotland 28-22 at the Aviva Stadium after a hotly contested affair.
The Celtic brawlers produced five of the seven tries scored during the second half, and it momentarily looked as though the No. 2-ranked team in the world might fall to their underdog opponents.
Both Ireland coach Joe Schmidt and Scotland counterpart Vern Cotter will take away a great deal of knowledge from the warm-up fixture, which in a way left both teams better off.
We discuss the biggest winners and losers to arise from the rubble of an exciting clash in Dublin, with some key individuals in particular taking their lessons from the result.
Winner: Vern Cotter
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What always looked to be a promising coaching appointment appears to be living up to expectations as Vern Cotter's latest Scotland incarnation looked impressive for parts of Saturday's bout.
Just days after BBC Sport revealed the New Zealander had received a one-year extension in the role, Cotter's men held a good account of themselves, and with no small manner of experimentation.
David Denton, Hugh Blake and Blair Cowan may have courted some controversy as none of the starting back-rowers were even born in Scotland, but how long will that matter to fans if results substantially improve?
Cotter's work at Bay of Plenty and Clermont in particular proved him to be a shrewd tactical mind, but he's arguably coming upon the best work of his career at the helm of an evolving Scotland team.
Loser: Joe Schmidt's Second-Stringers
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Yes, it's another win for Ireland, and those less favoured contenders can hold their head high with the contributions made in Dublin, but there's also a less enamouring side to Saturday's display.
It's unlike Schmidt's side to settle for a minority of possession, and yet the Dublin hosts accounted for just 46 percent of the ball-carrying on Saturday, in front of a home crowd no less.
Only three Irish players managed to carry for more than 19 metres—Chris Henry (37), Simon Zebo (54) and Luke Fitzgerald (55)—while Scotland's backs ran rampant.
To contrast those figures, six of Scotland's seven starting backs carried for 37 metres or more. The team racked up a collective 294 metres, excluding scrum-half Henry Pyrgos.
These figures tend to be the final chances for some in weaving their way into World Cup contention, but several less impressive figures may count their chances as over following a lacklustre outing.
Winner: David Denton
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After being helpless as he watched Ireland maul his team 40-10 in Murrayfield five months ago, David Denton found it far easier to make an impact at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
It was unsurprising given the lower level of competition in general, but his head-to-head battle was by no means an easy one as Sean O'Brien shifted to No. 8 in a fierce clash of carrying weapons.
The Telegraph picked out the Zimbabwe-born bulldozer as a shining light despite the defeat, and rightly so given his 55 metres made from a big 14 carries.
A mention must go to the other foreign-born back-rowers, Blake and Cowan too. The latter scored Scotland's first try in Dublin, and the duo didn't miss a tackle between them.
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Loser: South Africa
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Prior to the Rugby Championship, many would have been under the impression that South Africa's topping Pool B at the World Cup was a foregone conclusion but perhaps not anymore.
After the Springboks failed to win any of their three games in the Southern Hemisphere tournament and following Scotland's latest show of strength in depth, that pool's competition is looking all the more contentious.
In fact, the elite powers of Pool A may have earned the "Pool of Death" moniker, but with Samoa, Japan and the United States perhaps each capable of a surprise or two, Pool B may also be seen as a stiff one to judge.
In any case, the close defeat in Dublin will give many a Scot confidence in their World Cup hopes, where a surprise rise to the top of their group would be welcome so far as tournament prospects go.
Winner: Jamie Heaslip
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We've already commented on the stellar impression made by Denton in Scotland's No. 8 role, but we can't say quite the same of Ireland's O'Brien as he completed a switch from flanker.
Many would have hoped to see the Tullow Tank guzzling his way through the field like never before, and yet he was largely subdued in his carrying, albeit still doing a terrific job at the breakdown.
Jamie Heaslip's position therefore looks safe, and it's likely O'Brien will swiftly reclaim the No. 7 jersey when normal service resumes in a more competitive atmosphere.
Schmidt may never have intended for O'Brien to be a long-term fixture at the back of the pack, but it was a nice thought while it lasted.
All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.
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