Jacob Stockdale scores try, makes try and stops try

Jacob Stockdale scored a try, set up a try and stopped a try in the first 40 minutes of Ireland’s 22-13 victory over Scotland in round two of the Six Nations at BT Murrayfield.

First came the try creation. In the tenth minute, the ball was spun wide to the Ireland winger. He opted to chip into the Scotland 22, Tommy Seymour caught the ball but, under pressure from Chris Farrell, his pass didn’t find the hands of Sean Maitland.

Instead, the chasing Conor Murray picked up the ball to score the opening try of the game – and it all came from Stockdale’s smart chip.

Watch the Murray try here…

Then midway through the first half, Stockdale received a pop pass from Johnny Sexton and burst through the Scotland defence to run in from 45 metres…

The Ireland winger, who scored seven tries in last year’s Six Nations and was named Player of the Tournament, then went from try-scorer to try-saver in the closing minutes of the half.

Related: Downtime with Jacob Stockdale

It was Stockdale’s tackle on Tommy Seymour following a concerted period of pressure from the hosts that prevented the Scotland wing going over in the corner after a long pass from Finn Russell had created space for Huw Jones and Seymour.

Stopping a score then meant Ireland held a 12-10 lead at the break.

Finn Russell had helped narrow that gap when he set up a try for Sam Johnson. The fly-half intercepted a Joey Carbery pass on halfway, sprinted clear but was caught by Keith Earls a couple of metres out. Still, he was aware of Johnson approaching in support, popped up the ball and the centre crossed for his first Scotland try.

It seemed to be a day for scoring passes from fly-halves. First Sexton, then Farrell – and then Joey Carbery.

On as a replacement for Sexton in the first half, in the second Carbery found a gap in Scotland’s blue line with 55 minutes gone and green grass opened up in front of him. With Scotland defenders closing in, he produced a brilliant long pass to Keith Earls to cross.

That was the one bright moment in a stop-start second half. Errors and penalties meant neither side could gain much momentum, but it was Ireland who came out on the right side of the scoreboard.

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