Six Nations: Scotland urged to use ‘negativity’ to fuel Triple Crown bid against Ireland

Grant Gilchrist reflects on defeat to Italy and looks ahead to challenge of facing Ireland in Dublin

Scotland's Grant Gilchrist during a training session at Oriam in Edinburgh ahead of the Six Nations match with Ireland in Dublin. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Grant Gilchrist has called on his Scotland team-mates to use the negativity that followed the defeat by Italy to fuel their Triple Crown bid in Dublin this weekend.

The 31-29 loss in Rome last Saturday has seen a deluge of criticism aimed at Gregor Townsend’s squad whose character has been questioned as well as their on-field leadership and ability to control matches.

Gilchrist, the vice-captain and longest-serving international in the squad, accepts the players were to blame for Scotland’s first loss to Italy since 2015 but has urged them to make amends by ending their Six Nations campaign strongly and beating Ireland to win the Triple Crown for the first time in 34 years.

Having not won in Dublin since 2010, the lock forward knows the Scots will go into the match as massive underdogs but believes they can succeed if they play to the standard of which they are capable.

“To win away from home in the Six Nations is a huge achievement,” said the 71-times capped Gilchrist. “They don’t come without a real performance, whoever you are playing, but especially this team and with the history we’ve had against them where we’ve really not played our best rugby.

“Added to that is a chance to win a Triple Crown for the first time since 1990. It’s important to feel the negativity – if you can flush that straight away, you’re in the wrong changing room. You’ve got to feel it, because everyone who cares about Scotland and supports the team feels it, so we have to feel it more than everyone else.

“But we also have to look at what an opportunity we have to go and win a Triple Crown for the first time in 34 years. I was born in 1990 and I’m the old guy around here, everyone else wasn’t born the last time Scotland had it. There’s no bigger challenge, but what a reward as well.”

The Triple Crown is contested within the Six Nations by the original four unions, Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales, and is awarded only when one of them beats the other three. Scotland are the lone team left with a chance of winning it this year.

Ireland, ranked second in the world and who beat Scotland 36-14 at the Rugby World Cup in October, suffered a surprise loss to England last weekend but need only two points against Scotland to win a second successive Six Nations championship.

“We know where we need to be better, and there couldn’t be any more motivation now,” added Gilchrist, 33. “We’ve got to go and give it absolutely everything - based on what happened last time, based on what happened last weekend, and because we’ve got a Triple Crown to play for, we’ve got a championship position to play for. This is still a chance to make a success of this tournament, and that’s what we’re desperate to do.

“We go at the weekend and give our very best performance and see where that takes us, and we believe it can get us the win. But as long as we give our best, that’s all I care about this week, the best version of us.”