Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher believes the side’s last visit to Murrayfield showed the “mentality” of the back-to-back Six Nations winners.
Simon Easterby’s squad head to Edinburgh for round two of the championship but, when they were last visitors there in 2023, were victorious despite ending the game with flanker Josh van der Flier throwing into their line-out and prop Cian Healy scrummaging at hooker.
Dan Sheehan was Ireland’s starter in the number two jersey that day but was forced off injured after 18 minutes. His replacement Kelleher soon picked up a shoulder problem of his own but lasted until the 48th minute before he too had to be replaced.
“I just remember coming in at half-time, there was no panic,” said Kelleher.
“I just remember a few people laughing, like ‘this is wild’. Just a next-man-up mentality. Church [Healy] obviously went in, did unbelievably well in the scrum, Josh did unbelievably well at the line-out throws, but there was no panic, no sense of dread or anything really.
“It was just more of the funny situation, but people were willing to step up and I thought we did well as a squad to get through that.”
Despite the injury upheaval, Ireland won the game 22-7 and, a week later, clinched the Grand Slam at home to England.
“It was a brilliant day and we were obviously delighted,” added Kelleher. “It led to a big Grand Slam win the following week, so yeah, it was massive.”
Ireland and Scotland both won during the opening weekend of the 2025 championship but Gregor Townsend’s side have not beaten Sunday’s visitors since 2017.
“Scotland are always very difficult to play against,” Kelleher said.
“They have some class players throughout the team.”
