Townsend on Irish challenge, Scotland changes and why it's not a 'needle' game

andy burke - bbc sport scotland senior reporter

Fri, 7 Feb 2025, 10:58 am·1-min read

Gregor Townsend has been speaking to the media after naming his team to face Ireland in the Six Nations at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Here are the key points.

Ireland are one of the best teams in the world and "clearly favourites" on Sunday, says Townsend.
His team does not focus on the 10-match losing run to the Irish: "I think you only lean into it once you've ended it."
Tom Jordan, Jack Dempsey and Rory Sutherland will bring speed and energy having been promoted to the XV and all "deserve to start".
Townsend is expecting a "special atmosphere" against a team that will bring a strong away support. The Murrayfield crowd "means a lot" and Scotland have benefitted from the "familiarity" of playing six home matches in a row.
Townsend does not buy into the notion Scotland v Ireland has become a fierce rivalry.
He adds: "I think teams want to build up something to provide extra motivation, so maybe it's more on the Irish side or the Irish media side that there's this rivalry or needle to give them extra motivation on why they want to win again."