Simon Easterby credits Ireland's forward pack for win over Scotland

Ireland continued their Six Nations Grand Slam pursuit with a convincing 32-18 win over Scotland at Murrayfield, a performance built on the dominance of their forwards, according to head coach Simon Easterby.

The victory leaves Ireland as the only unbeaten team in the tournament and in prime position to secure the championship.

Easterby credited his forward pack for setting the tone of the game, allowing Ireland to control both the set pieces and breakdowns, preventing Scotland from gaining momentum.

"I thought the forward pack was excellent," Easterby stated after the match.

"Our set pieces were strong, and it’s difficult for a team to find rhythm when their delivery at lineouts and scrums isn’t where they want it to be."

Alongside Ireland’s forward dominance, fly-half Sam Prendergast put in a composed performance, contributing 12 points from his boot while also assisting in the attacking play that led to four Irish tries.

"Sam Prendergast put us in the right areas more often than not, and that is what you need," Easterby added.

Ireland’s defense also stood firm, ensuring that Scotland’s moments of ascendancy were quickly shut down.

"I thought we scrambled well," Easterby said.

"We managed to turn around situations where they got a bit of momentum and kept them at arm’s length. Then, we were clinical when opportunities came our way."

After a slow opening in their first game against England, Ireland wasted no time asserting themselves in Edinburgh. Just eight minutes in, Prendergast orchestrated a sharp attack, setting up Calvin Nash for the game’s opening try.

"Although we conceded late in the first half, I thought the scoreline reflected our dominance," Easterby noted. "We could have been one or two scores further ahead."

The head coach praised his squad’s defensive effort and ability to execute their game plan effectively, neutralizing Scotland’s threats while maintaining an attacking edge.

"We knew we had to shut them down, limit their time and space, and stop their momentum," he said. "I thought we did that well both in defense and in our attacking execution."