Six Nations 2022: Beating Ireland would be 'one of Scotland's best wins'

Beating Ireland in Dublin would represent "one of the best" victories in Scotland's history, says Pete Horne.

The Scots travel to Dublin for their final 2022 Six Nations match on Saturday.

Ireland could pip France to the championship with victory, while Scotland are looking for a first win in the Irish capital in 12 years.

"It would be brilliant," former Scotland centre Horne told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.

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"It would just put such a positive spin on the end of the tournament, something they can really then try and build on. It would also give real belief going forward into that World Cup year.

"They're not going to be thinking, 'Ireland are the best team and we've got no chance'. There's no point turning up if you're thinking like that. In the camp they'll be thinking, 'Let's go out there, give it absolutely everything, if we start well and rattle them then who knows?'

"It has felt a little bit doom and gloom after all the optimism that we had at the start of the campaign, but winning in Ireland would be one of the best results in our history."

Victories over England and Italy bookended defeats to Wales and France, with Scotland once again falling short of mounting a meaningful Six Nations title challenge.

After hammering Wales in round one, the Irish bounced back from defeat in Paris on the second weekend to beat Italy and England to keep themselves in contention.

Only a victory over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium, preferably with a bonus point, will keep the pressure on table-toppers France ahead of Les Bleus' last-day showdown at home to England.

Ireland have lost only one of their past 11 meetings with Scotland - a 27-22 defeat at Murrayfield in 2017 - and Horne says they are among the best in the world at squeezing the life out of opponents.

"You've got to try and slow that Irish attack down," Horne added. "When they hit their straps it's like a wave, they just keep coming and coming and coming. It almost feels like watching the best New Zealand teams of the past.

"It just feels like you just cannot slow them down, you can never get set, you can't get off the line, you're constantly under pressure and it can feel a bit overwhelming, almost.

"Hopefully, Scotland will go really hard at the breakdown, guys like Rory Darge and Hamish Watson, you expect them to be flying into everything trying to make a real mess of it and just slow them down if they can."