Scotland co-captain Rory Darge hopes channelling the dejection of a shock defeat to Italy can help topple title-chasing Ireland and clinch an overdue Triple Crown.

Gregor Townsend’s side run out in Dublin on Saturday seeking to salvage silverware from a Guinness Six Nations campaign which disastrously unravelled in Rome.

While Scotland retain an extremely slim chance of snatching the title, the consolation of defeating Ireland, England and Wales in a single championship for the first time since the 1990 Five Nations appears to be the realistic extent of their ambitions.

“Coming here to get a result is going to be a tough ask but we’ve got a lot to play for,” Darge said at the Aviva Stadium on Friday afternoon.

“It’s 30-odd years since the Triple Crown for a Scottish team and obviously after a loss like last weekend, the first thing you want to do is get back out there and put things as right as you can. That’s what we’re looking forward to.

“The fuel is the result (against Italy, a 31-29 defeat). The fuel is how gutted we were after the game. It was a quiet changing room.

“A tough weekend to process what went on but that’s the fuel for me – and the Triple Crown.

“The opportunity to come to Dublin and beat one of the best teams in the world, that’s enough motivation.”

Scotland must beat Ireland with a bonus point and deny their opponents one while overturning a 76-point deficit in points difference to have a chance of finishing top of the table.

That improbable scenario seems even more unlikely given the reigning champions have won 13 of the last 14 meetings between the nations and are chasing a 10th success on the spin.

Glasgow flanker Darge insists the Scots have “full belief” they can cause problems for Andy Farrell’s men.

“Tomorrow, all we can do is focus on ourselves and then hopefully prove something for you,” he told reporters.

“In recent years, it’s not been the case but we’ve got full belief that if we do everything we can we’ll put the pressure on them. Every moment is going to be huge.

“If you aren’t in a moment or you switch off, they’re likely to make you pay for it.

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

“They seem to be able to deal with a lot that’s thrown at them.

“We just need to focus on what we can do better from the Italy game but also what we think might put them under a bit of pressure.

“We’ve had a lot of learnings as you can imagine over this last week and it’s just about putting it out there.”

Topsy Ojo believes the best is yet to come from England after their dramatic 23-22 triumph over Ireland in the Six Nations.

Marcus Smith’s drop goal claimed an last-minute win at Twickenham, keeping their tournament hopes alive going into the final weekend.

Broadcaster and former player Ojo believes Steve Borthwick’s men can still go up a gear ahead of their Lyon showdown with France on Saturday.

“There are more gears for them and they will definitely say the same too,” Ojo told the PA news agency.

“The big one is consistency of performance and whether they will be consistent week on week. That is what England are striving for.

“How do England regenerate that emotional and physical high, because it was a bruising encounter and they really put everything into that.

“It was incredible, it was a brilliant Test match.

“They’ve been working hard behind the scenes and making small steps after the defeat to Scotland. Sometimes you need a lot of factors to conspire to deliver that performance.”

Last week’s match at Twickenham handed Ireland their first defeat since October.

England will need them to lose at home to Scotland without a bonus point and claim a bonus-point victory over France if they are to complete the unlikely task of lifting the trophy.

Ojo admitted: “The odds will be low.

“Anything from a win or a losing bonus point will do it for them (Ireland), they’re back at home and after the disappointment of the weekend where they had the championship in their hands before England snatched it away, you would like to think they will finish strongly.

“Last weekend did show that anything is possible.”

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has been ruled out of the tie after he reported concussion symptoms on Monday.

Ojo talked up the Exeter winger’s impact and admitted his absence will be a shame going into the final gameweek.

Ojo said: “He’s a talent no doubt and it’ll be a shame that he won’t be able to carry on that performance against France on the weekend.

“He’s got himself in the squad because he’s a handful and makes things happen, he was allowed to do that on Saturday. He showcased his strengths and he was one of the most dangerous players. It was brilliant to see.

“He went out and did the things I’ve seen him do in the Premiership. His maturity off the field is impressive as well.”

Aaron Wainwright insists nothing but victory will be acceptable for Wales in Saturday’s wooden spoon decider against Italy.

Wales must win in Cardiff to have any chance of not finishing bottom of the Guinness Six Nations table for a first time since 2003.

Narrow defeats against Scotland and England this season were followed by heavier losses at the hands of Ireland and France, leaving Wales four points adrift in sixth place.

Even if they topple Italy, Wales could still remain rooted to the basement should losing bonus points come into play.

Asked how desperate he would be to avoid having a wooden spoon on his resume, Wales number eight Wainwright said: “It would be embarrassing.

“We can’t afford to go out tomorrow and lose. We need to win. I don’t think anything else is acceptable.

“Massive respect to the Italians for what they’ve done so far in the tournament, but we are definitely going out there and getting a win to end the campaign on a high.

“We were accurate and played well in the first 20 minutes (against France), and it is about doing that against Italy and sustaining it for the rest of the game.

“We won in Rome last year, and we will be looking to do the same this time to finish on a positive note and take something away from this campaign.”

Italy beat Wales at the Principality Stadium two years ago, and they now return to tackle a team that have lost their last six home games in the Six Nations.

Warren Gatland had a Six Nations win ratio of around 70 per cent during his first stint in the job from 2008 to 2019. Since he returned for last year’s tournament, it stands at barely 10 per cent.

There are mitigating factors, including post-World Cup retirements of Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny – George North will follow after Saturday’s game – Louis Rees-Zammit quitting rugby for a possible NFL career, Liam Williams moving to Japan and the likes of Jac Morgan, Taulupe Faletau and Dewi Lake all being sidelined by long-term injuries.

Five players have made Test debuts during an extensive Six Nations rebuild, but Wales’ lack of depth is highlighted by their front-row replacements on Saturday – Evan Lloyd, Kemsley Mathias and Harri O’Connor – having just 41 minutes of international experience between them.

Gatland has never lost to Italy as Wales boss, and he said: “We are all aware it is an important game for us. We are at home.

“We have felt like we’ve been in all the games for long periods and put ourselves in positions.

“We could have won a couple more games than we have at the moment, and that is frustrating for us. But I talk to the players continuously about game-management scenarios and looking to improve.

“They (Italy) look probably in better shape physically than they have ever been in the past. They have got some depth across the whole of the squad.”

Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins said: “In these sorts of games you can tell who is meant for the Test arena and who really wants it.

“There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel; 2003 probably wasn’t the best season (for Wales), but then you go to 2005 and they are winning Grand Slams.

“That is our aim and where we want to be.”

England and France clash in the climax to the 2024 Guinness Six Nations in Lyon on Saturday night, by which time it will already be known if anything is at stake on the match.

Here the PA news agency examines five talking points as England aim to snatch the title from Ireland’s grasp.

Farewell to Manu?

Manu Tuilagi’s first appearance of the Six Nations could also be his last for England. Although the Sale centre has remained tight lipped over his talks with French clubs Montpellier and Bayonne, he appears certain to leave at the end of the season, at which point he will be 33-years-old. England teams have been built around his marauding runs for over a decade and the national side are unlikely to field his like again. When he steps off the bench it will be only his 60th cap, a legacy of long spells out injured. Had he been fit for every match since his debut in 2011, he would have amassed 156 caps by now.

Ford holds on… for now

Marcus Smith emerged as England’s match winner when Ireland were stunned in round four, landing the deciding drop goal as well as providing a cutting edge in attack. But in a show of faith from Steve Borthwick, George Ford continues at fly-half to complete a full set of starts in the Championship. It is easy to forget amid Smith’s headline-generating intervention at Twickenham that Ford has performed well in this tournament, most notably orchestrating the comeback against Wales in round two and pulling the strings to potent effect last Saturday. But for all Ford’s influence, Smith is the coming man and a stellar performance will be needed against France to hold on to the jersey for the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand.

Bonus points fiasco

For the first time since bonus points were introduced in 2017, a scenario has arisen whereby the Six Nations winners can claim the title despite accumulating fewer victories than the side finishing second. That is the prospect facing England if they win at Groupama Stadium and Ireland claim at least a bonus point against Scotland. It is hard to envisage any outcome other than Ireland successfully defending their title, but if they do so with their closest rivals beating more teams, it will be a bad look for the tournament.

Unleash the big beasts

France’s starting and replacement forwards weigh a combined 1,000kg, a startling total that can be both a strength and weakness for the hosts. They field the four heaviest players in Uini Atonio, Emmanuel Meafou, Georges-Henri Colombe and Romain Taofifenua – each of them over 21 stones. But with such size and power comes vulnerabilities that can be exploited through clever half-back play, a good kicking game and superior conditioning.

The stats signpost home win

France are odds-on favourites to register their third win of the tournament and there is one statistic that helps explain why. Since becoming the Six Nations in 2000, Les Bleus have performed better than any other side in the final round of games, winning 17 of 24 matches. England, meanwhile, have the second worst record with just 10 victories. Whatever the data suggests, ‘Le Crunch’ is set up to be a humdinger with England lifted by a triumph over Ireland that is their greatest performance since the 2019 World Cup and France impressing against Wales in their last outing.

Peter O’Mahony is determined to prevent the “torture” of another tense Guinness Six Nations finale but admits Ireland are aware of all possible permutations ahead of Saturday’s title decider against Scotland.

Andy Farrell’s men will retain the championship crown by avoiding defeat or claiming two bonus points on ‘Super Saturday’ in Dublin, while a single bonus point is also likely to be sufficient.

However, a pointless loss would leave Ireland sweating on the outcome of England’s clash with France in the final round-five fixture.

Captain O’Mahony was part of the Irish squad which endured an anxious wait to celebrate tournament glory in 2015, when only points difference ultimately elevated them above England and Wales.

“You have to discuss these things, especially the guys who are making decisions around refereeing calls, that kind of stuff, penalties,” said O’Mahony of the permutations.

“We are going out to win tomorrow, that’s what we do for every Test match.

“Of course, there’s a handful of us who might have to make a decision or need to know the permutations but we want to put in a performance tomorrow that’s capable of winning.”

Ireland defeated Scotland 40-10 at Murrayfield on the final weekend nine years ago to leapfrog Wales, who beat Italy 61-20 earlier in the day, at the top of the standings.

Joe Schmidt’s side then nervously watched on at Murrayfield as England – requiring a 26-point win over France at Twickenham to snatch the title – fell agonisingly short in a 55-35 success.

“That was the mad day, wasn’t it? Yeah, it was torture,” said O’Mahony.

“Wales went out and put up a big score, then we did the job and then it was pure carnage the last game.

“I’m sure it was a great watch for the rest of the world. I remember watching it from the stairwell in Murrayfield, praying to God, so, look, that’s what the Super Saturday means for the competition.

“It’s great that there are so many teams involved that can win it.”

Manu Tuilagi has declined to reveal his plans for next season amid expectation that Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with France would be his final game for England.

Tuilagi has held talks with Top 14 clubs Montpellier and Bayonne in a move that would make the 32-year-old unavailable for Test selection by Steve Borthwick.

It has raised the prospect that if he wins his 60th cap by stepping off the bench in Lyon, it will be the powerful Sale centre’s farewell in a Red Rose jersey.

When asked what his plans for 2024-25 are, Tuilagi replied: “The plan is to hopefully get on the pitch on Saturday. I don’t really know what I am doing tomorrow to be fair!

“For me representing England and getting opportunity is a blessing and I can’t wait. Every time I get to represent England it could be the last game.

“Every game could be your last game, so you have got to make the most of it and enjoy it.”

As Tuilagi was speaking at the Groupama Stadium, the electronic curtain that formed the back drop in the press conference room unexpectedly started lowering.

It was an accidental moment of symbolism for a player that England have never been able to adequately replace during his long spells out through injury since making his debut in 2011.

He has been an automatic pick for four successive England coaches, bringing ball carrying clout to the midfield and proving unplayable on his day – even against the best opposition.

It will be hoped that his first appearance of the Six Nations after missing the opening rounds with a groin injury will be a fitting exit if he does follow former team-mates Owen Farrell, Henry Arundell and Joe Marchant across The Channel.

“I feel very blessed to be able to get back into the team. We’ve got an unbelievable team. For me to be able to get this opportunity again – I love it,” Tuilagi said.

“Whenever you get the opportunity to be a part of it it’s a blessing. It’s been an amazing campaign for us.”

When naming him on the bench for the final match of the 2024 Championship, Borthwick described Tuilagi as the social glue for his squad who has the ability to raise the game of his team-mates.

He also spoke of the time taken by the 2013 Lions tourist to help mentor younger players – a contribution appreciated by rookie wing Tommy Freeman.

“Manu is the nicest guy I’ve ever met in my life. The most compassionate, supportive bloke. Very good at coffee art as well,” Freeman said.

“Manu is a class lad to be around, he gives you a hand here and there, he knows exactly what Test rugby is all about, he has been a part of the game for years and he will definitely add wherever he can.

“The impact he has on the game is a big one – the way he moves his weight around gives us lads a bit of energy to spur from.”

Andy Farrell believes the chance to end a 34-year Triple Crown drought makes Scotland a major threat to Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations title bid.

Farrell’s reigning champions are on the cusp of retaining their crown and will do so on Saturday evening by avoiding defeat to the Scots or claiming two losing bonus points.

Gregor Townsend’s visitors, who have the slimmest of chances of snatching the title, will be desperate to bounce back in Dublin after being embarrassed by Italy last weekend.

While Scotland have not beaten rivals England, Ireland and Wales in a single championship since the 1990 Five Nations, Farrell acknowledges they have a track record of toppling Test rugby’s leading nations.

“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,” he 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.”

Ireland are chasing a 10th consecutive victory over Scotland, having helped eliminate them in the pool stage of the last two Rugby World Cups.

“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.”

Scotland need a bonus-point win, a major swing in points difference and to avoid Ireland claiming a bonus point to overhaul their rivals.

Even then, Townsend’s men would be reliant on the result of France’s clash with England in Lyon, which concludes ‘Super Saturday’.

Although there are scenarios in which Ireland could finish top of the table in defeat, Farrell is determined to clinch championship glory in style after the pursuit of back-to-back Grand Slams was halted by England in round four.

“I love winning titles, there’s no doubt about that, but this is an occasion for us to perform when it really matters,” he said.

“We said it in the Grand Slam game last year (a 29-16 win over England) and we were able to get over the line but the performance wasn’t exactly white hot, so that’s what you’re always chasing.

“Of course winning matters a lot.

“Certainly winning Six Nations titles, however, means an awful lot but having said that, we pride on ourselves on performing well when it matters and I suppose that’s what we’ll judge ourselves on first.”

Lifting the trophy on St Patrick’s weekend for the second successive year would provide a springboard for what promises to be un unforgettable 2024 for Irish rugby.

Farrell’s men face a two-match tour against world champions South Africa in July before hosting New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji and Australia in the autumn.

“This year doesn’t get any better for Irish rugby, it doesn’t get any better,” said Farrell.

“Look at what we’ve got coming up.”

Ireland are within touching distance of retaining the Guinness Six Nations title ahead of hosting Scotland.

Andy Farrell’s men were denied potential back-to-back Grand Slams by last weekend’s 23-22 defeat to England but remain in pole position to win the tournament.

Here, the PA news agency picks out some of the main talking points ahead of Saturday’s match in Dublin.

Ireland’s title to lose

Ireland know victory or a draw will guarantee championship glory, while two losing bonus points would also be sufficient. Any other result would complicate matters and open the door for England to snatch the title. Steve Borthwick’s side, who begin the weekend four points off the pace, require a bonus-point win away to France in the final fixture of ‘Super Saturday’ on the back of halting Ireland’s 100 per cent record. Scotland and Les Bleus are also mathematically still in the title mix. However, their respective hopes of finishing top of the table are highly improbable due to Ireland’s vastly-superior points difference.

What might have been

The Aviva Stadium clash should arguably be a straight shoot-out for the title and could easily have been a Grand Slam showdown. Ireland were seconds away from remaining on track for a clean sweep before Marcus Smith’s last-gasp drop goal settled a Twickenham thriller. Scotland, meanwhile, are likely to still feel aggrieved about their controversial round-two loss to France, which was sandwiched between wins over Wales and England. The Scots’ campaign subsequently unravelled in disastrous fashion with a shock 31-29 defeat to Italy. Clinching a first Triple Crown since the 1990 Five Nations appears to be the only realistic achievement available to Gregor Townsend’s men amid a lingering sense of what might have been.

Testing times for Townsend

A major setback at Stadio Olimpico cast fresh doubt on the future of Scotland head coach Townsend. His side have produced plenty of statement results, including four consecutive Calcutta Cup victories. But he has also overseen successive World Cup pool-stage exits, while frustrating inconsistency means the Scots’ wait for a maiden Six Nations title goes on. The 50-year-old, whose contract runs until 2026, refused to entertain questions about his position after a calamitous second-half collapse in the Italian capital. Townsend insists he still believes in his players and will be desperate to end the championship by lifting silverware to alleviate mounting pressure.

Decade of dominance

Ireland have played pivotal roles in Scotland’s recent underwhelming World Cup campaigns during a decade of dominance of this fixture. At the 2019 tournament in Japan, the Irish began with a 27-3 win over Townsend’s men in Yokohama, before emphatically eliminating their rivals in France last year thanks to a crushing 36-14 Paris success. Ireland have won 13 of 14 meetings between the nations since 2014, including nine on the spin following a 27-22 Murrayfield loss in 2017. They are strong favourites to extend that streak as Scotland bid to become only the second away side – after France in 2021 – to triumph in Dublin during the Farrell era.

Concussion concerns

Ireland’s unchanged starting XV raised some eyebrows given Calvin Nash was forced off following a thunderous collision with England’s Tommy Freeman just six days ago. Concussion protocols remain a hot topic but Farrell insisted he trusts the medical experts as he moved to allay any concerns surrounding the Munster wing. The Englishman has also ditched his six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench in favour of a more conventional five-three selection. The bold call backfired in London due to head injury assessments dictating the withdrawals of Nash and his replacement Ciaran Frawley, who is not fit to feature this weekend.

Wales and Italy will contest the Guinness Six Nations’ least-wanted “prize” in Cardiff on Saturday.

Avoiding the mythical wooden spoon for finishing bottom of the table is front and centre for both countries, with Wales four points adrift of their fifth-placed opponents.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some key talking points heading into the game.

Wooden spoon stirs the pot

Wales have not finished last on the Six Nations log since 2003, when a 33-5 defeat against France in Paris meant they lost all five games under head coach Steve Hansen. The Wales team that day included players like Iestyn Harris, Gareth Thomas, Dwayne Peel, Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams as they suffered a heaviest reversal of the tournament. Wales have won the Six Nations title on six occasions since then, including four Grand Slams, which highlights this season’s demise, while Italy are striving to avoid a ninth successive wooden spoon after Scotland had that dubious distinction in 2015.

Farewell to George North

From the moment he arrived on the Test match stage as an 18-year-old against South Africa in 2010, North has proved an inspired presence for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. He will retire from international rugby after Saturday’s game, having helped Wales win four Six Nations titles – including two Grand Slams – and played in four World Cups. His Wales try-count stands at 47 in 120 games, and he has averaged almost one touchdown per game against Italy, with his sizeable haul including a hat-trick in 2015. North deserves every accolade he will receive as a modern-day Wales great whose pace, power and try-scoring prowess made him box-office entertainment.

Wales’ rebuild will continue

Whatever happens against Italy, short-term pain must be eclipsed by potential long-term gain as Wales head coach Warren Gatland continues moulding a new-look squad. Since the World Cup, Gatland has seen Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar retire from Test rugby, with North to follow, Liam Williams and Gareth Anscombe head to club rugby in Japan, while Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau were among Six Nations injury absentees. Gatland has paraded five new caps during the tournament – including the exciting Cardiff trio of Cameron Winnett, Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin – and he asked Welsh supporters for patience that has so far been reciprocated.

Italy need to do a job

Italy have shown some impressive form in this season’s Six Nations, beating Scotland, drawing with France away from home and going down by just three points to England. The victory over Scotland was their first Six Nations triumph in Rome since 2013, and players like centre pairing Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello, wing Louis Lynagh and captain Michele Lamaro have excelled. The challenge now is to produce another performance of the type that almost defeated France and then accounted for Scotland. They return to Cardiff two years after claiming a dramatic 22-21 success, and there will be expectation in the Azzurri camp of a repeat performance.

Cardiff no longer a fortress

The Principality Stadium has played host to some memorable Welsh rugby moments, with Six Nations title triumphs and Grand Slam glory topping that list. Recently though, the Cardiff venue has seemingly lost its aura. Wales have suffered six successive Six Nations defeats there, with all five of their championship opponents winning on the road. It is 13 losses and one draw from the last 20 capped internationals at home, with victories only being recorded against Canada, Fiji, Australia, Scotland, Argentina and England (World Cup warm-up match) in full internationals during that time. The atmosphere remains among world rugby’s finest, but opponents are no longer fazed by what awaits them.

Leicester Tigers were fined £309,841.06 but avoided a points deduction for breaches of salary cap regulations on this day two years ago.

The punishment came after it emerged the Premiership club had entered into an arrangement whereby a third party made payments to the image rights companies of Leicester players.

The payments were made over the four seasons from 2016-17 to 2019-20 and should have been declared as part of the Tigers’ salary cap obligations, but were not disclosed.

Leicester, who led the Premiership at the time and went on to win the title in 2022, avoided a harsher sanction because the salary cap was exceeded by less than the ‘overrun’ limit.

It is when this ceiling – which ranges from £325,000 to £350,000 each season – is breached that more formal charges are triggered.

Leicester’s highest ‘overrun’ during the period was £147,750 in 2016-17 and their total across the four seasons was £391,941.06.

The Tigers accepted the outcome of Premiership Rugby’s investigation into the matter and did not appeal against the punishment.

Premiership Rugby had been given stronger powers to act two years previously after a review of salary cap regulations in the wake of the Saracens affair.

Saracens were fined more than £5million and relegated in 2020 for repeated breaches of the rules.

Leicester chief executive Andrea Pinchen said: “We accept the decision and the acknowledgement that there was no overrun in the most recent season of the review.

“We are thankful this matter has been brought to a conclusion and pleased that we can now focus all of our energy and efforts on the future of the club.”

Steve Borthwick has urged Manu Tuilagi not to turn his back on England after priming the powerful Sale centre for a cameo role in Saturday’s clash with France in Lyon.

Tuilagi will make his first appearance of the Guinness Six Nations, filling the vacancy on the bench created when Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s concussion-enforced absence resulted in Elliot Daly’s return to the starting XV.

It could be his farewell appearance in a Red Rose jersey as he considers a lucrative move to the Top 14 at the end of the season – when he will be 33 years old – with Montpellier his likely destination.

Tuilagi has been a central figure for four-successive England coaches because of his carrying threat but he could soon be following former team-mates Owen Farrell, Henry Arundell and Joe Marchant across The Channel.

“I’m hopeful Manu will be staying in England. There are no plans confirmed as yet, to my understanding,” Borthwick said.

“Ultimately it’s up to Manu and the opportunities that present themselves. From my point of view, he knows I would want him to be in England – I want all our best players playing in England.”

Tuilagi would have been involved earlier the Six Nations had it not been for a groin problem sustained in mid-December, the latest in a long list of injuries that have made him unavailable for international duty for lengthy spells.

Although in the twilight of his career, Borthwick believes Tuilagi still has plenty to offer England – both on and off the field.

“Manu adds huge amounts to this squad. He’s a player who impacts upon people and he impacts upon games. I’m looking forward to seeing him impact upon this game on Saturday night,” Borthwick said.

“Manu has been training well and has looked sharper and sharper. His training, work ethic and what he delivers on the field are always excellent.

“We’ve got a number of young players in this squad and he takes the time and the care to help them and pass his knowledge on.

“The very best players make everyone else be five per cent or 10 per cent better because of their presence and Manu has that effect.

“He’s socially robust within the group, he’s brilliant at bringing people together. He’s the one at the coffee machine making coffee for everyone to sit, chat and spend time with each other. He brings people together.”

Borthwick has kept faith with George Ford at fly-half despite Marcus Smith’s match-winning contribution off the bench in the 23-22 upset of Ireland last Saturday.

Smith brought extra zip and creativity to England in the latter stages, as well as landing the decisive drop goal, but Ford was also excellent outside of his goalkicking problems and his growing understanding with full-back George Furbank is seen as key.

“The prime reason for the decision is that both of them played really well. George played a really good game in many ways and the blend of the two of them is an exciting blend,” Borthwick said.

“We are trying to build that consistency and cohesion. If players haven’t played with each other, you can’t expect them to read each other.

“Having consistency in selection helps this team build and that’s an important step for us.”

Ireland will host World Cup conquerors New Zealand and Joe Schmidt’s Australia during a mouth-watering four-match autumn series against southern hemisphere opposition.

The All Blacks, who beat Andy Farrell’s side 28-24 in the quarter-finals of last year’s global tournament in France, will visit Dublin on Friday, November 8.

Former Ireland boss Schmidt will bring the Wallabies to the Aviva Stadium for the series finale on Saturday, November 30.

In between those stellar fixtures, the reigning Guinness Six Nations champions will take on Argentina, on Friday, November 15, and Fiji, on Saturday, November 23.

With a two-match summer tour against world champions South Africa already scheduled for July, Ireland will end the year having faced each of Test rugby’s other 10 leading nations.

The game against Australia has been arranged as part of the Irish Rugby Football Union’s 150th year celebrations.

Head coach Farrell, who is preparing for Saturday’s Six Nations title decider against Scotland, said: “This November’s line-up is a hugely exciting one for the Irish rugby public and we are looking forward to competing against four hugely talented sides.

“There is an added dimension to this year’s autumn series, with a fourth match against Australia set to mark the IRFU’s 150th celebrations.

“We look forward to testing ourselves against some of the most exciting teams in the world, with whom Ireland has such strong traditions and rivalries. It promises to be a series to remember.”

The matches will be the final fixtures before Farrell takes a break from his role to focus on leading the British and Irish Lions on their 2025 tour of Australia.

Series fixtures

Ireland v New Zealand, Friday, November 8, 8.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Argentina, Friday, November 15, 8.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Fiji, Saturday, November 23, 3.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Australia, Saturday, November 30, 3.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Andy Farrell says Ireland have “battened down the hatches” in their quest to retain the Guinness Six Nations title after some players received online abuse in the wake of their last-gasp loss to England.

Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams ended following Marcus Smith’s dramatic drop goal in last weekend’s 23-22 Guinness Six Nations defeat at Twickenham.

Members of Farrell’s squad, including veteran scrum-half Conor Murray, were subsequently targeted on social media for their performances in south-west London.

Farrell last year branded the “circus” surrounding his son Owen “absolutely disgusting” before the England captain decided to take a break from international rugby to prioritise his mental health.

The Ireland head coach, whose side host Scotland in a championship title decider on Saturday, seemed resigned to players having to deal with online hate but expressed hope the situation will change.

“Everyone would be lying if they said they hadn’t (been aware of it),” said Farrell.

“But that’s been the way of the world for some time now, hasn’t it, really, in regards to social media etc?

“We’ve battened down the hatches as far as our concentration on what we need to do to improve our performance and make sure that we’re the best of ourselves.

“And come Tuesday afternoon after the training session and a big session on Wednesday as well, it seems to be that the focus is right where it should be.”

Murray was vilified for kicking away possession in the closing minutes as Ireland attempted to protect a 22-20 lead, while captain Peter O’Mahony was criticised following a costly second-half yellow card.

Former Ireland international Andrew Conway described the negativity and disrespect aimed at players following his country’s second defeat in 22 games as “staggering”.

“It’s one loss and the bounce of a ball, an interpretation here and there,” said Farrell.

“But that’s the way of the world, you’ve got to roll with the punches as far as that’s concerned because we’ve all talked about it, we’ve all discussed it at length, certainly in this room (referring to Owen Farrell).

“It’s not for changing any time soon. Hopefully it will do though.”

Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV to face the Scots in Dublin, including retaining Calvin Nash on the right wing.

The 26-year-old Munster player was forced off by a head injury inside five minutes against England following a heavy collision with Tommy Freeman.

Farrell insisted he trusts the medical experts as he moved to allay fears about the selection of Nash.

“If you’re in the inner circle and you understand the process that these players have to go through now, you would thoroughly back that process,” he said.

“One, he has gone through it with flying colours and he never looked like failing for one second. And two, the process, I think is very sound.

“He passed the three stages that he had to go (through). He trained fully yesterday without doing contact within the session, but had to do contact after the session.

“(He) passed that with flying colours, no problem whatsoever. He had to see an independent doctor – if it’s a seven-day turnaround, you have to do that, and he passed that with flying colours as well.

“You trust the experts on this.”

Farrell has made two alterations on his bench.

The Englishman has scrapped the six-two split of forwards and backs by selecting centre Garry Ringrose ahead of lock Iain Henderson, while Ciaran Frawley, who is unavailable due to a head knock sustained after coming on for Nash last time out, is replaced by fly-half Harry Byrne.

Gregor Townsend admits Scotland will have to “do something special” in Dublin as he challenged them to score at least 20 points against Ireland and give themselves a fighting chance of a first Triple Crown since 1990.

The Scots are heading to the Irish capital looking to save face after a shock defeat in Italy last weekend all-but ended their hopes of winning the championship and left them staring at the possibility of finishing fifth if results go against them on Saturday.

Townsend is braced for a formidable test against a side the Scots have lost to in each of their last nine meetings – including a chastening 36-14 defeat at the World Cup just five months ago.

“We know how tough it’s going to be,” he said. “They’re one of the top two teams in the world and at home they’ve been virtually unbeatable the last few years so it’s going to require something special from our players.

“We’ve got to accept that they’ll score points on Saturday. I think before (losing 23-22 to) England they were averaging 30 points a game, so it will be a test for our defence, and we have to score points.

“We have to get to 20 or more, which will be tough but we believe we can do that against any team.”

Townsend conceded there is a sense of regret that Scotland – who have two wins out of four so far – are not heading to Ireland with a genuine chance of winning the title.

“The frustration is that we’re not going to Dublin on the back of four wins,” he said.

“We feel we had a win taken away from us against France, and obviously Italy deserved their win but we feel we could have been better that day.

“But we have this game ahead of us to show our best performance of the season.

“We’re still playing for something, not just a place in the table, it’s for a trophy (the Triple Crown), and also we’re playing one of the best teams in the world so that’s got to inspire us to deliver our best rugby.

“It’s weird to think we’re the only team that can win the Triple Crown but the focus is on the performance.

“We know we have to play our best rugby this week. We’re away to Ireland and it’s the ultimate challenge in the game right now. The huge motivator for us is to try and deliver our best rugby of the season.”

Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Townsend has opted to make just two changes, with Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall replacing Cam Redpath and first-choice scrum-half Ben White returning at the expense of George Horne.

The head coach is adamant there is no need for a wholesale overhaul of the team.

“If you suddenly change what you’re doing because of one defeat or one performance that had some negative elements then you’re forgetting what went on beforehand,” he said.

“Before that 20-minute period (in the second half in Italy) when we lost our focus, we played a lot of good rugby and we played a lot of good rugby leading up to the Italy game.

“We know we have to deliver our best performance of the season on Saturday to come away with a positive result and we believe in the players we’ve selected.”

Townsend was heavily criticised after the Italy defeat, but he dismissed any notion that he had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders since returning from Rome.

“No, I feel massive responsibility and privilege being in this job,” he said on Thursday. “It’s a huge purpose in my life.

“I’ve got a fantastic coaching staff and a great group of players around me and I love being in this role. It’s disappointing when you don’t get your best performance but there’s another game to work towards this weekend.”

Warren Gatland says he relishes the high-pressure stakes of international sport as Wales strive to avoid a first Guinness Six Nations wooden spoon for 21 years.

Gatland oversaw Six Nations titles triumphs, Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-final appearances during his trophy-laden first stint as Wales head coach from 2007 to 2019.

He returned to the role as Wayne Pivac’s successor ahead of last season’s Six Nations, with Wales finishing fifth on that occasion.

But if Wales fail to beat Principality Stadium visitors Italy on Saturday, then they will prop up the final table, which has not happened since Gatland’s fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen was in charge for the 2003 campaign.

Asked about the pressure, Gatland said: “I love it. You find out about people in weeks like this when you are under a bit of pressure, how you respond to that pressure, who is going to put their hand up, who is going to accept the responsibility.

“You find out so much more about individuals when you are under pressure.

“And that is what international sport and professional sport is all about, whether you are playing for Grand Slams or you are at the other end of the table and fighting for survival and fighting to make sure we get a win on the weekend.

“I am still learning about the game, still asking questions about things that you would do differently and how you would prepare differently.

“If you think you know everything, then you are probably in the wrong thing. Things keep moving on, and it is looking at the game and the changes and trying to stay in front of those changes and being proactive about those sort of things.”

Gatland’s squad rebuilding process is under way, one that was underlined by Test retirements last year of Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny – their fellow cap centurion George North will follow after the Six Nations – Louis Rees-Zammit quitting rugby for a possible American football career, Liam Williams playing in Japan, plus injuries to players like Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau.

“You tend to go back and look a little bit at history,” Gatland added.

“You can go back as far as 2003, which probably wasn’t the best year for Welsh rugby, but two years later that team won the Grand Slam.

“It does take a bit of time. You can’t coach experience. Players learn from being out in the middle. They make mistakes, but it is how you rectify those mistakes for them to be better the next time.

“We know where we are as a group. This group of players have worked incredibly hard and I can’t question the effort.

“Looking at some of the statistical data in terms of GPS numbers, they are very good. There is no way they are not trying out there.

“Both winning and losing become habits, and we’ve got to break that. We are desperate for a win on Saturday.

“We are desperate to go out there and start well and continue to play well for 80 minutes to show as a group we have been improving.”

North will bow out of the international game following a career that saw him help Wales win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and play in four World Cups.

The 31-year-old back, who will play for French club Provence next season, has scored 47 tries for Wales – a figure only bettered by Shane Williams – and he is his country’s third most-capped player behind Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.

Gatland added: “He was probably thinking to himself when was the right time (to retire) from a physical point of view.

“We would have loved for him to still be involved, but the conversation with him was that he didn’t want to continue playing for the next couple of years and then potentially leave us in a bit of a hole 12 months out from a World Cup.

“I completely understood his decision with him going to France and taking the family with him.

“It is not completely a surprise to me because we had already had a couple of conversations. We would have loved to have had a player of his ability still to be involved, but at some stage everyone calls time.”