Autumn Nations Cup: Scotland travel to Ireland with renewed belief on the road, says Mike Blair

Scotland have not beaten Ireland in Dublin since 2010

Scotland travel to Ireland for their Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off with greater belief they can win on the road, says assistant coach Mike Blair.

The Scots have not won in Dublin since 2010 as they prepare to face Andy Farrell's Ireland.

But Blair believes ending an 18-year wait for a win in Wales in October has boosted confidence.

"The Welsh win for us was a big one to get off the back," the former Lions scrum-half said.

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"Against one of the top tier nations to get that away win was something really big for us.

"It doesn't mean playing away from home gets any easier. This game will be as hard as any we'll play whether we won the game in Wales or not.

"But that Wales game has given us that little bit of confidence that these wins are very much possible."

Gregor Townsend's side began 2020 with a narrow 19-12 Six Nations defeat in Dublin, in which they missed several try-scoring opportunities.

Captain Stuart Hogg wants to ensure his team end the year with a more positive outcome against the same opposition.

"We want to finish on a high, we want to finish in the best place possible," said Hogg, who will earn his 80th cap at the Aviva Stadium.

"I feel this group has bonded well off the field. We've talked a lot about being a family in our own little bubble over the last couple of months.

"We want to finish on a high, go out there and express ourselves and play the brand of rugby we know we can play."