Ireland's half-time blip against Scotland shows importance of the fine margins

The fine margins that can swing international rugby were well summed up by the final moments of Ireland's first half against Scotland on Sunday.

Simon Easterby’s side had dominated the opening half, cruising into a 17-0 lead that could and should have been even more if they’d taken their chances.

Desperate for something to bring into the changing rooms, Scotland had manufactured a couple of late opportunities in the opening half, but Ireland’s defence was holding them out; James Ryan stole a lineout, and when a penalty offered the Scots another go at the 22, Ireland’s maul stood them up.

With the clock ticking towards the red, Ireland just had to lock out a scrum, run the final few seconds down, and send the ball off the pitch to go in with a 17-point buffer, but it was poorly executed.

Rónan Kelleher didn’t get a clean strike on Jamison Gibson-Park's feed to the scrum, and it traveled a little too wide of what’s known as 'channel one’, with Caelan Doris having to stretch out his left foot to trap the ball.

That minor inconvenience meant the Ireland number 8 was reaching behind him to gather the ball rather than picking it in his stride, allowing Scotland’s openside flanker Rory Darge just enough time to meet him behind the gainline.

Darge won the collision, before Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw came in the side of the ruck, giving the hosts a penalty five metres out from which they scored a try, cutting the score to 17-5 as the half-time whistle blew.

That Scottish momentum carried into the second half. Blair Kinghorn tagged on a penalty to make it 17-8 two minutes into the second half, and the home side started to suffocate Ireland.

Jonny Gray stole a lineout, Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast’s spillages sent Ireland backwards