Vern Cotter plays down Scotland hopes as they face depleted Ireland at Murrayfield
Vern Cotter’s final season as Scotland coach promises to be the most exciting of his tenure, with victory over Ireland a real possibility at Murrayfield tomorrow.
Key Irish players Johnny Sexton, Peter O’Mahony, Andrew Trimble and Donnacha Ryan have all been ruled out through injury and the Scots have every reason to be confident.
However, Cotter, who is being replaced by Glasgow Warriors coach Gregor Townsend at the end of the season and is heading back to club rugby in France with Montpellier, is trying to play down expectations.
“Ireland are at the top of their game and will come here with confidence after beating some of the best teams in the world, including the All Blacks and Wallabies, and having won the tournament twice in the past three years,” said the Kiwi.
“We aim to win every game we play but know that Ireland will come with a lot of confidence and try to dominate us on our home paddock.”
Captain Rory Best wins his 101st cap for Ireland and is joined in the front row by Tadhg Furlong and Jack McGrath, all three of whom are in contention for this summer’s Lions trip to New Zealand.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt believes Sexton has an “outside chance” of facing Italy in Rome on February 11.
