Cian Tracey

Paul O'Connell was under pressure last year, but it's kind of gone unnoticed how much improvements have been made there.

And conversely, Scotland have the worst line-out record in the Six Nations.

Now, I don't think Jack Conan weakens the line-out by any means whatsoever.

I think he's an excellent line-out forward, and if anything, he deserves to keep his place in the team last week.

But I would still have question marks

over Scotland's ability to live with the Ireland pack, particularly without their first-choice locks.

You look at how well Jack Dempsey played last weekend.

Can he go again this weekend?

He was expected to be ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

And I think, in general, that's going to be such a massive challenge for Scotland because...

They hit such heights last weekend, and we saw it in terms of Ireland post-Twickenham going into the Wales game.

It's very difficult to get back up there, particularly in the space of a week, whereas Ireland had, you know, a good win over Wales.

But what I felt like they didn't really show their full hand in that game either, so...

I think that plays into Ireland's favour as well.

The fact Ireland are at home, Scotland's record at home in Murrayfield is generally pretty good, not quite as hot away from home.

So I think all those reasons are stacked in Ireland's favour, I reckon.

I'd love to get your thoughts on this, Ian, because that was definitely my sense watching the game, having been there live and then absolutely watching it back.

Is there any credibility to the notion that Ireland were holding something back?

I saw a very interesting stat on Opta during the week that...

of Ireland's 177 carries 84 of them were one out runners so almost half of their carries were one out runners that isn't really Ireland's game plan in general just wondering like you having been an out half like would you go into certain games before a potential bigger game next week and maybe not show your full hand keep something back