Preview: Ireland ready to close out campaign with a trophy v Scotland

We've learned a lot since the first weekend of February.

We've learned that Johnny Sexton is still the man, but that the sky won't fall down if he's not around.

We've learned that Ireland have committed to their fast and open style of rugby, and won't revert to type when the game is in the balance.

If we didn't already know it, we've learned that Marcus Smith is the real deal, but that England haven't found the right cast to support him.

We've learned that France have the deepest pool of talent in the game, and that anyone who denies them a home World Cup win next year will need to find several extra gears.

We've learned that World Rugby are willing to hammer you for uncontested scrums, while some people are still yet to learn that 'head equals red'.

And as Scotland prepare to cap off their campaign against Ireland, we've learned that Gregor Townsend's side still struggle to back it up week-to-week.

There's an air of mid-2000s Ireland about Scotland. They have all the tools to trouble any team in the game, but still struggle to do it consistently over a block of games.

They tend to play up and down to the level of their opposition, multiple wins against both England and France in recent seasons have been offset by defeats to more vulnerable Irish and Welsh sides.

"They're so frustrating, aren't they?" remarked Donal Lenihan on this week's RTÉ Rugby podcast.

"It's one step forward and two steps back. Defensively they were the outstanding team in the Six Nations for the last two years.

"It's almost as if they looked to move their game on from being a defensive team, and have lost their concentration on that."

Bernard Jackman echoed those thoughts.

"On paper they are better they were, but yet bar the England game there hasn't been