Eire hooker Ronan Kelleher believes the aspect’s final go to to Murrayfield confirmed the “mentality” of the back-to-back Six Nations winners.
Simon Easterby’s squad head to Edinburgh for spherical two of the championship however, after they had been final guests there in 2023, had been victorious regardless of ending the sport with flanker Josh van der Flier throwing into their line-out and prop Cian Healy scrummaging at hooker.
Dan Sheehan was Eire’s starter within the quantity two jersey that day however was pressured off injured after 18 minutes. His substitute Kelleher quickly picked up a shoulder downside of his personal however lasted till the forty eighth minute earlier than he too had to get replaced.
“I simply bear in mind coming in at half-time, there was no panic,” mentioned Kelleher.
“I simply bear in mind a number of individuals laughing, like ‘that is wild’. Only a next-man-up mentality. Church [Healy] clearly went in, did unbelievably properly within the scrum, Josh did unbelievably properly on the line-out throws, however there was no panic, no sense of dread or something actually.
“It was simply extra of the humorous state of affairs, however individuals had been prepared to step up and I assumed we did properly as a squad to get by way of that.”
Regardless of the damage upheaval, Eire received the sport 22-7 and, every week later, clinched the Grand Slam at residence to England.
“It was an excellent day and we had been clearly delighted,” added Kelleher. “It led to a giant Grand Slam win the next week, so yeah, it was huge.”
Eire and Scotland each received in the course of the opening weekend of the 2025 championship however Gregor Townsend’s aspect haven’t crushed Sunday’s guests since 2017.
“Scotland are at all times very tough to play towards,” Kelleher mentioned.
“They’ve some class gamers all through the staff.”
