Ireland 19 Scotland 12: Former England star Andy Farrell leads Irish to victory in first match in charge
IRELAND escaped with a 19-12 victory in their absorbing Six Nations opener against Scotland.
Gregor Townsend’s men were made to pay for their poor discipline when the touchline was in reach.
Scotland made all the running, but their constant incursions into the Irish 22 produced nothing but frustration and heartbreak.
Turnovers and penalties thwarted the adventurous Scots every time.
Their best try chance came while trailing 13-6 in the third quarter.
New captain Stuart Hogg, given an overlap in the left corner, only had to place the ball but inexplicably dropped it while he was trying.
Meanwhile, Ireland's newly crowned skipper Jonathan Sexton contributed all of his team's points with the game's only try and five out of six goalkicks.
When his fourth penalty extended Ireland's lead to 19-12 with nine minutes to go, Sexton deserved to be rested.
But Scotland was far from done.
Replacement hooker Stuart McInally steamed into a gap, and flanker Hamish Watson had the Irish scrambling back with three minutes to go.
The Scots took the ball to the line and Willem Nel, Cornell du Preez and Scott Cummings tried to pound it in from rucks but the defence was magnificent.
Almost inevitably, Scotland turned the ball over and the Irish were slapping the back of back-rower CJ Stander.
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Up in the coaches box, new Ireland boss Andy Farrell - once a coach of England - and his assistants were fist-pumping and high-fiving.
But Scotland still had not finished. From a tap kick on the Irish 22 with two minutes to go, the Scots tried pick-and-goes, the clock passed 80 minutes, and a Scot knocked on.
And Ireland couldn't finally feel relief.
