Ireland v Scotland: match preview, TV details and free tips

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Ireland v Scotland in the Six Nations.

Where to watch

ITV and Virgin One, 4.45pm Saturday

Best bets

Ireland -14
3pts Evs general
Ireland to win by 21 to 30 points
1pt 4-1 Betway

Match preview

Ireland started their Rugby World Cup campaign in September with a convincing 27-3 victory over Scotland - their eighth win in the last nine meetings - but ended it with the familiar tale of a quarter-final defeat.

Head coach Joe Schmidt has moved on so it is left to Andy Farrell, Schmidt's number two, to pick up the team from a disappointing year.

But Farrell has been blessed with a touch of fortune, landing an already eminently winnable fixture at a time when opponents Scotland are in a bit of disarray.

Finn Russell, one of two standout players in the squad, will miss at least the opening game having been sent home from the squad, which is a major blow to their chances.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has decent options to replace both his half-backs - scrum-half Greig Laidlaw retired from the international game after their World Cup - and has gone for Ali Price at nine and Adam Hastings at ten.

But when Scotland have been seen at their attacking best, such as when they ran in five second-half tries to come back from a 31-7 deficit against England at Twickenham last year, Russell has been the creative force behind their efforts.

Ireland have a new coach but Farrell played a major part in their 2018 Grand Slam triumph right through to the World Cup so there is continuity there as well as in the playing ranks. Captain Rory Best has retired but the same mix of power up front and a backline marshalled by Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton remains.

The one debutant in the Irish starting 15 is number eight Caelan Doris, who has attracted rave reviews for Leinster this season.

This Ireland team look to have plenty of scoring power in them and they can certainly outgun a Scotland side who have struggled on the road.

Their 38-point haul in an extraordinary Twickenham finale to last year's tournament stands in stark contrast to the seven, eight and ten points they scored away to Wales, Ireland and France on their latest Six Nations trips. And a record of just seven away wins from 50 Six Nations matches - five of them in Italy - tells its own story.

These teams have met 11 times this century away from Edinburgh and Ireland have won seven of those clashes by more than this week's 14-point handicaps. Six have been by at least 20 points and it may be worth backing Ireland to hit those heights again.

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport