Scotland 7-22 Ireland: Scotland's '40-minute performance not good enough' - Townsend

Head coach Gregor Townsend said Scotland's "40-minute performance" was not good enough as a 22-7 loss to Ireland ended their hopes of a Triple Crown and potential Six Nations title.

Scotland went into the break just a point behind after an electric first half, but were outclassed by an injury-ravaged Ireland in the second half.

Cian Healy filled in at hooker for Ireland in scrums and Josh van der Flier took line-out throws, but Scotland were unable to take advantage of the visitors' injury problems.

"The second half wasn't as competitive," said Townsend. "Not the same energy levels from us and we chased the game. It was there to be grabbed by one of the two teams and it was Ireland that grabbed it, which was disappointing for us.

"Whether we expected things to come to us in the second half, we didn't grab that third quarter, they eventually did and then it was much tougher for us when they go more than a score up."

• Scotland overwhelmed by Grand Slam-chasing Ireland

• Reaction and as it happened

The talk leading into the game was that Scotland would have to deliver their best performance of this championship in order to stand a chance and it looked like they had a point to prove in the opening 40. The hosts had several chances to add to Huw Jones' score, but lacked the clinical edge that characterised their wins over England and Wales.

"We created a lot of opportunities," Townsend said. "If we finish them off then the scoreline looks a bit different and potentially changes the game. I'm not going to make excuses, we didn't create enough in the second half and they took their chances.

"That first half was such a high level of pace and energy, both teams weren't replicating that at the beginning of the second half, but Ireland got confidence from going ahead, we started forcing things and we looked a lot poorer in that last quarter than we did in the first half. We expect more of our players, of our accuracy."

Former Scotland captain John Barclay believes Ireland's game-management was the difference. "It was tight and we wondered what Ireland would do differently second half," he said. "They managed the game so well and put all the pressure on Scotland."

Ireland have now won eight successive games against Scotland before their next meeting, in the pool stages of the World Cup in the autumn. Despite that dreadful recent record, Townsend believes they are getting closer to beating the side ranked number one in the world.

"We're close to working it out," he said. "Delivering it is the other part, because we showed enough in attack and defence in the first half. There's a game there and a playing group there that can really trouble Ireland, but you've got to do it for 80 minutes.

"Obviously a World Cup is an even bigger stage with more consequence. We'll learn from today and we'll be better in a few months' time. Their confidence and calmness is something we can learn from. We have that ability but today it wasn't there in the second half. It should make them even more determined to not go through an experience like today of losing."