Listen to Ireland head coach Declan Kidney and pack leader Paul O’Connell give their reaction following Ireland’s 23-20 RBS 6 Nations loss to Scotland in the final rugby game at Croke Park on Saturday.

 
Scotland coach Andy Robinson (first), captain Chris Cusiter and kicking coach Gregor Townsend give their views after a slender 23-20 win over Ireland in the RBS 6 Nations final round clash at Croke Park.

This Saturday Ireland will play their last game of the RBS Six Nations against Scotland in Croke Park. This will be the last ever ‘Foregin’ sport to be played there before the newly built Aviva Stadium opens in August. For the first time for Ireland there is at least a Triple Crown to win at Croker. What will make victory even better for Ireland, is if they win by more than 25 points and if England manage to beat Grandslam chasing France by more than 25 points Ireland will retain the Six Nations for the very first time, and what a way that would be to finish the occupation of the home of the GAA.

Many journalists have said that these days a Triple Crown to Ireland is ‘worthless’, as Ireland have won what used to be a mythical trophy for the last 5 out of 7 years. However Sportspeak caught up with Tommy Bowe, who said “The Triple Crown is as big as it ever was”

This weekend Ireland will play in Croke Park for the last time in their RBS Six Nations meeting with Scotland. The stakes in this match will be very high, with the opportunity of winning the Triple Crown and possibly the Championship, depending on how Grandslam hopefuls France do against England. Yesterday Declan Kidney named an un-changed side from the one that beat Wales at GAA headquarters last week admitting that naming the same team was a very hard choice to make because the whole squad had done extremely well in training. Playing in Croke Park over the last number of years has left the players with some truly great memories. One player who will always have a fond memory of playing there is Jamie Heaslip who last year scored a crucial try in the win over France which paved the way for Ireland to go on and win the Grandslam.

Sportspeak caught up with the Leinster number eight, who said he wants to end the residency of Croke Park on a high note.
 

Delon Armitage was tonight dropped for England’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Grand Slam-chasing France – clearing the way for Ben Foden to make his first Test start at full-back. Armitage has paid the price for a slump in form, dropping out of the 22-man squad altogether, and he is not the only casualty from England’s 15-15 draw with Scotland last weekend.

England’s captain Steve Borthwick will be assessed tomorrow after undergoing treatment for a long-standing wear and tear problem in his knee.However winger Ugo Monye is unavailable after suffering a neck injury at Murrayfield while Jonny Wilkinson’s position at fly-half is under threat. Wilkinson took a couple of heavy blows to the head against Scotland but his form has been questionable all tournament and Toby Flood is pressing hard for the fly-half jersey.

England boss Martin Johnson will announce his starting XV tomorrow lunchtime with both Mike Tindall and Chris Ashton firmly in the equation to be involved from the off at the Stade de France. Tindall’s inclusion in England’s 22-man squad is little surprise given France today selected the powerful centre Mathieu Bastareaud – but it places Mathew Tait’s position in grave doubt. Tait could switch positions to replace Monye but England see him exclusively as a centre these days, leaving a Test debut for Ashton, the prolific Northampton winger, as the most likely option.

Elsewhere, flanker Lewis Moody is challenging for a recall while Simon Shaw is set for a return to the second row after recovering from a shoulder injury. ‘It is not about chopping and changing on a whim because that doesn’t do anyone any good,’ said Johnson. ‘We have got to pick a team to win every individual game.’

 
Sportspeak got the reaction of Declan Kidney and captain Brian O’Driscoll at today’s team announcement.

Ireland Coach Declan Kidney has named an unchanged team to play Scotland in their last match of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Fittingly for the final game in Croke Park the match will mark a 70th Ireland cap for Paul O’Connell who led Ireland out for the first rugby international there against France in 2007.

Centre Gordon D’Arcy has been included in the starting XV as he continues to recover from the deep bruising to his leg. He will be monitored in training and a final decision made on Friday.

Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday March 20th,5 p.m.)

15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Capt.)

12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)

10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)

9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)

3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)

4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)

6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)

7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)

17 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)

18 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)

19 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)

20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

22 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

Ireland Head Coach Declan Kidney and Captain Brian O’Driscoll were two happy figures after Ireland’s impressive 27-12 victory over Wales at a packed Croke Park.

O’Driscoll proclaimed his delight at victory on the occasion of his 100th cap for his country.

“It was a different game, a different feeling – probably more emotional than I thought it would be,” he said.

“It was a fantastic feeling, it was a massive, massive honour for me to captain my country 100 times.

“The reception on the way out was just an extra on winning the game today. I’d have passed up all of that for just the win.

“I’m delighted for the boys and for the staff and the greater squad that don’t get to pull on a jersey week-in, week-out – that nobody sees on the telly – they are the people that need a mention because they do massive work for us.”

Sportspeak was in Croke Park to get the post match reaction.
 

IRELAND 27 WALES 12, Croke Park
Scorers:
Ireland: Tries: Keith Earls 2, Tomas O’Leary; Pens: Jonathan Sexton 3; Drop: Jonathan Sexton
Wales: Pens: Stephen Jones 4

Ireland’s Triple Crown hopes remained alive thanks to a comfortable 15-point win over Wales at a packed Croke Park this afternoon.

81,340 supporters witnessed a game which saw Ireland land three impressive tries – all three executed and delivered by Munster players.

Keith Earls showed brilliance in the 27th and 60th minutes, after he showed great energy and drive to twice crash over in the left corner.

His fellow Munster winger Tomas O’Leary also got in on the try-scoring act, as his 32nd minute effort saw Ireland claim a 16-6 interval lead.

There were however some concerns – an off-day on kicking duties for Jonathan Sexton with the Leinster out-half just landing four scores from eight attempts.

Unfortunately none of Sexton’s conversions went between the posts, but he made amends late on with a spectacular 76th minute drop-goal to see the home support go into raptures.

Wales started brightly in this match to claim the lead with a little under 10 minutes gone on the clock with Stephen Jones slotting over a penalty.

Jones left sided kick inside the 22 pushed the visitors 3-0 in front.

However Jones failed to landed his second penalty kick four minutes later.

Sexton made amends for his earlier miss in the 18th minute to tie the game at 3-all

Ireland continued to press with Sexton off loading the ball to Tommy Bowe who made a line break for another penalty – two out of three ain’t bad for the Leinster out-half.

Declan Kidney’s charges upped their intensity, and with Wales down to 14 following the dismissal of full-back Lee Byrne the visitors suddenly struggled.

It was a tough of brilliance by Earls as he claimed Ireland’s opening try in the 27th minute, following a pass from Brian O’Driscoll on his 100th cap.

Sexton missed the resulting conversion, but Irish hearts were sent crashing once more when RBS Man of the Match Tomas O Leary bounded over for a 32nd minute try.

O’Leary finished over the line, after Paul O’Connell broke off the base of the maul to off-load to the Munster winger to push Ireland 16-3 clear.

Stephen Jones kept Wales in touch with a 38th minute penalty, but Ireland kept their noses in front and a 60th minute try from Earls following a great line-break by O’Leary set Ireland up for victory.

IRELAND: Geordan Murphy; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll (capt), Gordon D’Arcy, Keith Earls; Jonathan Sexton, Tomas O’Leary; Cian Healy, Rory Best, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Stephen Ferris, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements used: Rob Kearney for D’Arcy (23 mins, inj), Tony Buckley for Hayes (75), Ronan O’Gara for Earls (78), Shane Jennings for Ferris, Leo Cullen for O’Connell, Eoin Reddan for O’Leary, Sean Cronin for Best (all 79).

WALES: Lee Byrne; Leigh Halfpenny, James Hook, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Richie Rees; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Jonathan Thomas, Martyn Williams (capt), Gareth Delve.

Replacements used: Huw Bennett for M Rees (57 mins), Ian Gough for Davies (59, inj), Dwayne Peel for R Rees (62), Andrew Bishop for Byrne (64), Sam Warburton for M Williams (67), Rhys Gill for James (78). Not used: Tom Shanklin.

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)