Scotland vs Ireland Preview
Scotland and Ireland clash at Murrayfield Stadium on February 9th, with both teams looking to maintain their unbeaten starts to the Six Nations. Kick-off is at 3:00 pm and this looks like an unmissable game.
Ireland bounced back from a losing position against England to register a successful start to the tournament last week. The men in Green put the visitors under relentless pressure from the first kick. Scotland survived a scare from Italy to win by a 12-point margin in Edinburgh. Who will leave Murrayfield with their undefeated record still intact?
Scotland vs Ireland Predictions
Correct score prediction: Scotland 19-27 Ireland
Scotland has been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years. Coach Gregor Townsend has developed a talented and energetic team. The Scots have proven to be dangerous in attack, with a fast-paced style of play catching many opponents off-guard.
They are excellent at moving the ball with exciting players like Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn in the backline, who can exploit space and turn half-chances into tries. Scotland’s forwards offer a solid base in both the breakdown and the set-piece. This helps provide the platform for their backs to launch attacks. However, they have been the nearly-men for too long now and their time to step up is running out.
Under the guidance of Andy Farrell and an interim Simon Easterby, Ireland established itself as one of the world’s most consistent and formidable teams. They are known for their clinical and methodical approach to the game. Ireland is a well-organised outfit that combines power, skill, and tactical brilliance. The pack is stacked with some of the best Irish rugby players of all time. Key figures like Tadhg Furlong and Peter O’Mahony provide muscle and experience in the tight exchanges.
The Irish scrum, lineout, and work during the breakdown are exceptional. That lays the foundation for their backline to execute their attacking play. Their second-half performance against England proved their resilience and our rugby prediction is for Ireland to make it two from two on Sunday.
Ireland has some great attackers and their four tries against England was evidence of their depth. They have a backline full of speed and agility and a forward pack that is more than capable of winning the battle up front. Farrel has built a side that can out-muscle most opponents. Ireland’s game plan will focus on a mixture of power rugby from their forwards and tactical kicking to keep Scotland under pressure.
However, Ireland must be wary of Scotland’s flair and unpredictability. If they are to leave Murrayfield with a win, they must ensure their defence remains solid, particularly in open play. Scotland can be explosive when they break the line, so it will be important for Ireland to stay compact and not allow any gaps for the Scots to exploit.
The key for Scotland in this match will be maintaining discipline and ensuring they don’t fall into the trap of making unnecessary errors. That is an area England failed in last week. Ireland is an experienced side and made England pay for their second-half mistakes. They will pounce on any from Scotland here. Against a well-drilled Irish team, ill-discipline can be costly.
Scotland’s scrum and lineout will need to be firing on all cylinders to ensure they gain the upper hand in the physical exchanges. With the home crowd behind them at Murrayfield, they will need to feed off that energy, especially in key moments of the game.
In the end, despite Scotland’s talent and attacking flair, Ireland’s balanced approach, superior set-piece, and experience in key moments will see them edge the contest. Expect a close encounter with Scotland’s home advantage potentially playing a part in the final result. But Ireland’s ability to manage pressure, coupled with strong forwards and a clinical backline, should give them a narrow victory.
Scotland vs Ireland Betting Tips
Match Result
Ireland is the clear favourite for this match after their win in game one against England. They are among the favourites to win the tournament according to our Six Nations predictions. The Irish have not lost to Scotland in eight years, entering this game on a run of 10 straight victories over the Bravehearts. They are worth 2/5 with our online betting site.
However, while we are predicting an Irish victory, the match result bet has us drawn to the Scots. A bet on Scotland to win is worth 2/1, and they looked extremely impressive in the first half of their victory over Italy. There is no doubt that they will need to be more focused here, but it has to be Scotland’s year at some point. They can take this game by the scruff of the neck and are worth a punt at a big price.
Handicap
The best way to bet on Ireland in this game is with a handicap. The mark is set around six points and we think they can win by at least a try here. Their depth of scorers is excellent and they would have covered that line last week if not for a try in the red for England when the game was already won. A bet on Ireland with a -5.5 handicap is worth 5/6 for anyone betting on the Six Nations.
Try Scorers
Dan Sheehan returned to the Ireland fold last week after a six-month layoff with an ACL injury. He played a pivotal role in the win over England, scoring Ireland’s fourth try. The hooker will be a replacement here but will probably enter the game early in the second half. He will be further out in the rugby union betting because of that, but we think he can have an impact off the bench again. Bet on Sheehan to score a try.
Scotland vs Ireland Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These sides last met in the 2024 Six Nations in a game that tied up a tournament win for Ireland. The first half was a tightly contested affair, with Ireland leading 7-6 at the break after two penalties from Finn Russell responded to Dan Sheehan’s try. Following the interval, Jack Crowley extended Ireland’s slim lead with a penalty. Ireland then applied sustained pressure on Scotland’s defence. That finally paid off in the 65th minute when Andrew Porter powered over for a try. In the dying minutes, Huw Jones broke through to score for Scotland, making for a tense finish. However, Ireland held firm to secure the victory and clinch the title.
Scotland kicked off their 2025 Six Nations campaign with a hard-fought 31-19 win over Italy at Murrayfield. Leading 19-9 at halftime thanks to tries from Rory Darge, Huw Jones, and Ben White, Scotland seemed to be in control. However, Italy mounted a spirited second-half fightback. They levelled the score at 19-19 after Ignacio Brex intercepted a Finn Russell pass to score a try.
Four penalties from Tomasso Allan aided Italy’s fightback, but Scotland regained their composure and pulled away. Darcy Graham’s brilliant run through the Italy defence set up Jones for his second try. Jones completed his hat-trick with a dazzling solo effort in the 66th minute to secure a bonus-point victory for Scotland.
Despite Italy’s spirited effort, including Brex’s intercept and Allan’s penalty kicking, Scotland’s superior finishing in the second half proved decisive. The win was hard-earned, showcasing Scotland’s resilience after Italy’s brief surge, setting them up for the rest of the Six Nations tournament.
Ireland overcame a first-half deficit to defeat England 27-22 in their Six Nations opener at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. England led 10-5 at halftime, with debutant Cadan Murley scoring the only try of the first half. Marcus Smith added a penalty and conversion. Ireland had struggled early, with James Lowe’s break setting up Jamison Gibson-Park for a try, but they missed opportunities and failed to take control.
The second half saw a complete turnaround as Ireland dominated. Bundee Aki crossed for a try in the 52nd minute, and Tadhg Beirne added another in the 64th. Dan Sheehan sealed the win with a try in the 72nd minute, while Sam Prendergast’s penalty gave Ireland a 27-10 lead. England managed two late tries through Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman, but they could only claim a losing bonus point.
Ireland’s performance in the second half was clinical, showing their strength. They were boosted by the return of Dan Sheehan, and this squad looks as strong as it has been in recent years. Despite late resistance, Ireland’s dominance secured a well-deserved victory, marking a historic comeback.
