Scottish Rugby

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Scotland co-captain Finn Russell insists Scotland "will get better" after their 17-13 defeat in Dublin.

"We were really good in phases again, but we gifted them the try in the first half. It sums up this campaign for us - up and down," the 31-year-old told ITV.

"We need to get a lot better mentally for next year's campaign because we can't afford to be up and down. We will get better, but it's tough.

"Ireland are the team to beat. In my opinion they are the best team in the world. The boys stood up today with a performance to be proud of."

We want to hear your thoughts after Scotland's Six Nations campaign ended with defeat in Dublin.

How do you assess the championship as a whole, and where do Scotland go from here?

Have your say here.

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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell thinks Scotland pose a serious danger to Ireland's chances of winning the Six Nations title as they to break a 34-year Triple Crown drought.

The defending champions will hold onto their title on Saturday night if they can either avoid losing to the Scots or earn two bonus points for losing.

The visitors, who have the slimmest chance of winning the championship, will be itching to get back to full strength in Dublin following their humiliation at the hands of Italy the previous weekend.

“They’ve been consistent at beating big teams over the years and playing a brand of rugby that’s been great for everyone to see,” Farrell said.

“When you’re disappointed, all you want is an opportunity where there’s a trophy on the line.

“And I know that as far as the Triple Crown is concerned, they’ve not won that for some time now and that makes them dangerous in our view. We’ve got to be ready for them to be as good as they’ve ever been against us.”

“We’ve been lucky enough over the last few years to get on the right side of victory against Scotland,” said Farrell. “But they’ve been tough, tough battles and hard-fought games, and you’ve got to be on point to make sure you continue in that manner.”

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Scotland co-captain Rory Darge believes defeat to Italy last weekend has spurred the team on to right the wrongs but isn't underestimating the challenge of trying to get a win in Dublin.

“It is going to be a tough challenge," the flanker said. "Ireland are, if not the best team in the world, then certainly one of them. Coming here to get a result is going to be a tough ask but we’ve got a lot to play for.

"Gilco [Grant Gilchrist] mentioned earlier that it had been 30-odd years since a Scottish team won the triple crown and after a loss like last weekend, the first thing you want to do is get back out there and try to put things as right as you can. That’s what we are looking for.”

The Scotland side have been facing fierce criticism since their collapse in Rome, with questions having been raised over the team's mentality.

“It’s about staying in the moment," Darge insisted. "Every moment is going to be huge against Ireland. If you aren’t in a moment or you switch off, they’re likely to make you pay for it.

“That’s an area where we have had a lot of growth but it’s still an area of growth for us, that staying in the moment and the mental space of it.

“The fuel is the result and how gutted we were after the game. It was a quiet changing room and a tough weekend to process. That’s the fuel for me. We have an opportunity to win the Triple Crown and to come to Dublin and beat one of the best teams in the world. That’s enough motivation.”

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After last month's news of the Super Series being disbanded, Scottish Rugby has announced the changes to the Scottish Premiership.

This transition sees Watsonians and Melrose move into the top-flight while Stirling County and Boroughmuir join the National League Division One.

It has been said that a 14-club Premiership could be challenging in terms of scheduling and would stray too much from the 10-team format currently in place.

Another factor that influenced the decision comes from the Super Series' "Club XVs" deciding to drop one division from the Premiership when the competition first began in 2019.

Thus, elevating them one division - or, in Boroughmuir's case, two divisions - is believed by some to be the fairest arrangement going forward.

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Scotland will head to North and South America for their summer internationals to take on Canada, USA, Chile and Uruguay.

The tour will begin in Ottawa where they take on Canada for the first time since the Scots' 48-10 victory in 2018.

Gregor Townsend's side then move onto Washington DC where they will play USA. The Scots will look to get revenge after the Americans won by a single point in their most recent encounter.

The South American leg of the tour will kick off against Chile. The last meeting between the teams took place in 2022, with Scotland winning 45-5.

The last stop on the tour is Uruguay which is the first game between the two sides since the 1999 Rugby World Cup in a 43-12 victory to the Scots, when Gregor Townsend got on the scoresheet.

Fixtures - kick offs to be confirmed.

Saturday 6 July: Canada v Scotland, TD Place, Ottawa

Friday 12 July: USA v Scotland, Audi Field, Washington DC

Saturday 20 July: Chile v Scotland, Estadio Nacional, Santiago

Saturday 27 July: Uruguay v Scotland, Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo

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Glasgow Warriors have announced the heavily-rumoured signing of prop Rory Sutherland.

The British and Irish Lion has signed a two-year deal and will join the Scotstoun side next season.

Speaking to club media, the 31-year-old said: "The past couple of years have been tough since I had to leave Worcester. I’ve been at a few clubs and I haven’t had the consistency I’d have liked in my game.

"This move to Glasgow, and back to Scotland, offers me the chance to work on getting that back into my rugby.

“Glasgow is a really successful team, so to be offered the chance to come to Scotstoun is attractive for any player. For me, it allows me to come back home, and be closer to my family, which will work wonders for me.

“I’ve gotten close to some of the Glasgow players while in camp with Scotland and they talk highly of Franco and the culture in the club. I’m looking forward to that and getting back to the homeland."

We asked for your views on Scotland's team for the final run out of the 2024 Six Nations.

Here is a taste of what you had to say:

Graham: I think the changes are about right. However, if we play like last week, it will be a very bad outcome. Show some heart and determination, that will be pleasing. If we continue to give away penalties, as we have done for years, it will be a hard watch. Best of luck anyway, do your best guys, for the jersey.

Scott: Blair Kinghorn a very lucky boy. Yes, he can pick the ball up one handed but I would rather he kicks a lot better and covers these chips behind our defence which has killed us in this Championship. Stafford McDowall a solid choice to counter the power of Bundee Aki. Cameron Redpath has looked weak defensively.

Darwin: I would have preferred Kyle Rowe to Kinghorn at fullback. Kinghorn's positioning for both Italy tries was non-existent, he wasn't even in camera shot! He's way too casual.

Joe: Redpath arguably our best player against Italy, and he's dropped to bench. Kinghorn been miles off the pace, cost us multiple points last week but retains place. Leaving Ben White out last week was a massive error, and have to question Gregor Townsend for that decision as well, given he's been our best nine consistently.

Andrew: Good to see McDowall start, he should shore up the midfield which Italy successfully targeted last week. The pack is as good as we’ve got but Rory Sutherland a surprise since he hasn’t played much rugby at all. It’s a pretty average bench that will need to deliver if we are to have any chance (if we’re still in it when they come on).

Willie: McDowall has been outstanding for Glasgow and deserves his chance. He's physical with excellent distribution and has got better and better the more he plays. Possibility for a triple crown against the top team in Europe on their own patch is a tough ask.

David: I think Kinghorn's really lucky to keep his place, he'll be glad he's a Townsend favourite. I never understand his selections, Harry Paterson had the 'best debut he's ever seen' then hasn't been seen again since! Delighted for McDowall to be given a start though.

Colin: Happy with the entire 23. It almost looks like Townsend is actually picking on form?! McDowall in the centre to counter Ireland's big guns is a good idea, plus he’s played his way into the team with performances for Glasgow. Good looking bench…don’t always say that. Expect Ireland to win, but I think this team is the best chance of keeping it close.

Archie: There’s a small part of me who wants to see Harry Patterson get another shot after his impressive start against France and Kinghorn’s desperately poor performance versus Italy. Two chip and chase tries conceded? Not good enough.

Graham: Big issues in the back row. Our two best tacklers in Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson out of favour, Jamie Ritchie lacking form and those selected unable to defend cohesively: they are fragile under pressure and are not an effective unit. Tactics more than personnel is the problem with the backs. We do better when the ball is in hand and moved quickly rather than kicked.

Tom English and Andy Burke discuss Gregor Townsend’s Scotland team selection to face Ireland.

It's essential listening before the big game in Dublin, so give the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast a whirl here.

Head coach Gregor Townsend wants Scotland to produce their best performance of the Six Nations against a formidable Ireland side on Saturday.

Eve McTiernan
BBC Sport Scotland

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With Scotland's three-point loss in Rome still a sore point and the match against Ireland looming this weekend, let's go back to happier times.

Namely 20 March 2010 - the last time the Scots won in Dublin.

The glorious day when Dan Parks brought Scotland's 12-year losing streak on Irish soil to an end by kicking 18 points to secure a 23-20 win.

Brian O'Driscoll opened the scoring for the hosts but the Scots roared back through Johnnie Beattie and two Parks penalties to lead 14-7 at half-time.

Then it was Ireland's turn to rally, with Tommy Bowe's converted try and a spate of traded penalties seeing the sides locked on 20 points apiece.

Parks had the final say, splitting the posts to give the visitors a momentous win as they dodged the Wooden Spoon and wrecked Ireland's hopes of the Triple Crown.

Can Scotland - who have lost the last nine meetings with Ireland - summon a similar performance on Saturday to end their dismal Dublin record and put the ghosts of Rome to bed?

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made two changes to his side for the final Six Nations match against Ireland in Dublin.

What do you make of his selection? Are you happy to see Stafford McDowall starting? Should it have been Kyle Rowe in the XV instead of Blair Kinghorn?

Have your say here.

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There were a couple of new names in Scotland's training squad for the upcoming Women's Six Nations, including Edinburgh's Alex Stewart. For anyone who'd watched the Celtic Challenge, Stewart's inclusion was no surprise.

Stewart had impressed during the recent Celtic Challenge, but a call-up to the national set-up still came as a shock to the back-rower.

"I was not expecting that at all," she admitted. "The way I was playing for Edinburgh I was gunning to get in, but I wasn’t expecting it.

"I didn’t think I would perform as well as I did, especially up against the bigger players, the players that already have caps behind them and it was quite nice to think that I could compete at that level."

Stewart says training with players she has long admired is still "a bit surreal", but praised the welcoming nature of the Scotland camp.

"No one really knows what you're going to step into, but everyone has been really welcoming, there's been a lot of detail that I’ve not been accustomed to so that is different but really good.

"It’s a bit surreal, you walk in and you don’t really know what to do, but then you soon realise they are just normal human beings and you can go and chat to them.

"It is still quite gobsmacking, especially when you are talking to your family and people outside camp and you are just talking about ‘Rachel’ [Malcolm] like she is your friend."

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Scotland women head coach Bryan Easson insists his side are closing the gap on England and France, but said "it will be a little bit longer than everybody expects".

Easson has seen improvements since the SRU handed out professional contracts 18 months ago, which he says are reflected in bigger crowds.

"It does take time for [the players] to get used to training, resting, eating, all that stuff that comes with professionalism," Easson said. "We can see that it's beginning to take hold and it will tighten up.

"The gap will get closer, but it will be a little bit longer than everybody expects in terms of professionalism. We just want to put performances in against those teams, France and England.

"We're not quite benchmarking ourselves against England and France as yet," Easson said. "We would benchmark performances and I would say performances year on year are improving and we are closing the gap.

"It will take time. We've only been professional now for 18 months. Wales, Ireland, Italy, and ourselves are all pretty much in the same boat. We know it's going to be a close fight between us all for that automatic qualification for World Cup.

"They look like they could be two sell-outs for us in Edinburgh, which is a first-ever. We'll break records in those two games and that just shows the players that we're getting their support base because of their performances."

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Scotland international Rory Hutchinson has ignored any speculation linking him with a move north by signing a new contract at Northampton Saints.

The utility back, who has played his way back into the Scotland squad during the Six Nations, has been at Franklin's Gardens for a decade.

He joins Scotland prop Elliot Millar-Mills in signing a new deal at the Premiership leaders.

The SRU had been interested in bringing the 28-year-old to either Glasgow or Edinburgh, according to reports, external.

Speaking to the Saints' website, Hutchinson said: “Northampton is my home club.

“I’ve been here ten seasons now, growing up and playing alongside a lot of the boys in the current squad, and it feels good to have worked my way up here – I would never have thought I would make it to 150 games for Saints."

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Geordie Gwynn and Ruaraidh Hart will co-captain Scotland Under-20s against Ireland in their final Six Nations fixture, as the youngsters aim for their first win of the tournament.

They remain without captain Liam McConnell as Kenny Murray names a side with four changes from the chastening 47-14 defeat to Italy last weekend.

Full-back Jack Brown and replacements Marcus Brogan, Andrew McLean and Finn Douglas will all make their first appearances of the tournament.

Brown replaces Jack Hocking, who is rested alongside Gavin Parry, Luke Coulston, Murdoch Lock and Matthew Urwin. Second-row Ryan Burke and back Fergus Watson both have to sit out with to injury.

Outside-centre Johnny Ventisei, loosehead prop Callum Smyth and blindside flanker Jonny Morris are the other changes. Robbie Deans drops to the bench.

Scotland Under-20s: Brown, Doyle, Ventisei, Thomson, Gwynn (cc), Coates, Patterson; Smyth, J Blyth-Lafferty, Norrie, McVie, Hart (cc), Morris, Douglas, Currie.

Replacements: Brogan, Deans, Whitefield, Clarke, Job, Davey, McLean, Douglas.

• Watch the game on Friday 15 March (19:00) live on BBC iPlayer.

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Glasgow back-rower Jack Mann has signed a contract extension at Scotstoun just two months after breaking his leg in a training game.

24-year-old Mann only has one professional appearance to his name but impressed against Bath in his debut back in December 2022.

A series of injuries have kept him out ever since, but he has now penned a deal until the end of the 2024-25 season.

He could still feature this season, after sustaining a leg fracture in January during a training game against Scotland Under-20s.

“For the club to put their faith in me like this is massive, and I really want to reciprocate as much as I can," Mann told Glasgow Warriors' club website.

"Whether that’s on the pitch or helping those selected be in the best possible position, I want to do everything I can for this club and this team."

Head coach Franco Smith added: “Jack is a player that we believe has a great deal of potential and we’re looking forward to working with him to continue his development.

“He has been unfortunate with his run of injuries, but every time he has worked hard and put 100% into his return to play process with our physios and S&C team."