Ireland vs Scotland LIVE! Rugby World Cup 2023 match stream, latest score and updates today
All eyes at the Rugby World Cup will fall upon Paris tonight as two familiar Six Nations rivals collide in a massive clash at the Stade de France, with a quarter-final berth on the line. Ireland currently sit second in Pool B with three wins to their name after defeating defending champions South Africa in an epic showdown last time out, with another victory for the world’s No1-ranked Test side this evening guaranteeing their last-eight spot as group winners.
It’s do or die for Scotland now, with a bonus-point win that denies Ireland any points enough to see them through to the knockout stages at the expense of Andy Farrell’s men. An unlikely triumph from the Scots by 21 points or more, meanwhile, would see both teams through at South Africa‘s expense, though there will certainly be no collusion on display.
Dan Sheehan and Iain Henderson are both drafted in by Farrell tonight, while opposite number Gregor Townsend has captain Jamie Ritchie back from injury and also hands a surprise start to Ali Price at scrum-half. Follow Ireland vs Scotland with Standard Sport’s live blog below!
Live updates
Prediction time!
This is absolutely must-win territory for Scotland to avoid an early exit and I have no doubt that they will leave everything out on the field in Paris.
But they’ve got a woeful recent record against Ireland and it is so hard to see how they get the job done here, such is the awesome strength of the world’s No1 side and Six Nations Grand Slam winners.
The confidence already soaring through the Irish camp will have been given another sizable boost by that ultra-physical win over the Boks and they will want to make completely sure of their place as Pool B winners with another confident victory in the French capital.
Ireland have shockingly never previously been past the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but this is feeling more and more like their year with every passing week.
Ireland to win without a bonus point.
Reminder of what both sides need…
Ireland, South Africa and Scotland can all still reach the last eight. South Africa have completed their schedule and currently top the pool.
Ireland will top the pool with a win, sending Scotland home.
Scotland can knock Ireland out with a bonus-point win that denies Ireland any match points.
If Scotland beat Ireland by 21 points or more, they would top the pool, with Ireland finishing second ahead of South Africa on the head-to-head rule – sending the Springboks home.
Ireland looking to break curse
Nine appearances for Ireland at the Rugby World Cup.
Seven times they’ve made it to the quarter-finals – seven times they’ve lost in the quarter-finals!
Will this be the year they finally take that step to the last-four? They’ve got work to do just to give themselves the chance of that, with qualification from Pool B not yet secured.
That’s the full focus tonight.
O’Mahony focused on ‘biggest’ hurdle
Ireland‘s private heartbeat was desperate to talk about anything other than becoming his country’s 10th centurion.
Peter O’Mahony was almost embarrassed by the company he will keep when reaching 100 caps tonight. The 34-year-old flanker is always focused on nullifying threats, and kept to type when identifying the danger in this match.
Lose, and Ireland could be going home from a tournament in which they are one of the favourites to go the very distance.
Ireland are hell bent on ending their quarter-final curse, and then some, at this World Cup, but after already beating defending champions South Africa, now they have another big pool stage job on their hands.
“People have talked about not being able to get past certain hurdles in this tournament and this is the biggest one of our tournament so far, and that’s the way we’re considering it,” said O’Mahony.
“It’s been an incredible build-up and lead-in and we’ve had some good performances, but we consider Scotland as an incredible threat to our campaign and our journey, which we want to kick on.”
Four from four for England!
Townsend confident Scotland can rise to occassion
It’s been a simple question for Gregor Townsend in the build-up to this match.
Does he believe Scotland can pull off the upset and beat the number one side in the world?
“Well, why not? The players have performed in massive games before where we were underdogs,” Townsend said.
“We’ve broken records before, whether it was not winning in Paris, not winning in Twickenham, not having beaten England in seven or right years.
“This is an opportunity for them to break another record and we believe in them. We believe where they are mentally as a group and where they are physically, they’re ready to play their best rugby.”
Lowe: Scotland will attack us
Ireland are the favourites going into tonight’s clash, but winger James Lowe is certainly not underestimating the challenge presented by Gregor Townsend’s side.
“Scotland are an amazing team who have definitely pushed us,” Lowe said.
“We’ve had the better end of the stick in the last few encounters. They’re a team that play with a lot of passion and width and physicality.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge. They definitely have one of the best 10s in the world [Finn Russell]. They’ve picked a nine [Ali Price] who likes running from the base and they’re definitely going to go in with the mindset of scoring tries and putting us under pressure.
“Six-two split on the bench. They’ve got a lot of forwards, impact players that are also able to change a match so we need to make sure we match them there as well.”