WE HAVE SCOT TO BE READY FOR A BATTLE

SO MUCH ON THE LINE

- By DEREK FOLEY

JOE McCarthy's first taste of the Six Nations was claiming the Man of the Match award against France in Marseilles in 2024.

The 2026 edition of the same tournament was quite the opposite, a dreadful Ireland display in the Stade de France and a 22-point drubbing.

Since then McCarthy has been dropped against Wales but he is restored for today's Scotland clash and he is delighted - post-Paris - to be in the running for the Triple Crown - with an outside chance of the Six Nations title too.

"It feels kind of like a final that you're playing in, a real big game and there's a real good buzz about the week," said the Leinster lock.

"We need to be at our best, bringing a lot of good energy to the week, looking over the small details, trying to get all the small bits right so we'll keep chasing it down.