RTÉ rugby analyst Donal Lenihan believes that Ireland need to make a big statement of intent against Scotland this weekend, to end a disappointing year on a positive note.
Ireland welcome the Scots to the Aviva Stadium, coming off the back of a limp victory over Georgia and defeat to England.
Questions have been asked about the direction of the Ireland side under Andy Farrell this week, with the Ireland head coach and his captain Johnny Sexton both insisting that they're making progress.
Lenihan believes that the reaction from the Ireland camp to the display against Georgia was 'disappointing' but he also feels that they can quickly erase those memories with a solid showing against Scotland.
"It’s the end of a long year for Andy Farrell," he said. "It’s been a tetchy week within the Ireland camp starting with his interview with Clare McNamara straight after the Georgia game last week.
"I think he was hugely disappointing, with the second-half in that game. I think Johnny Sexton kept that up in the week, he was at combative best with the media.
"The players are insisting that there have been improvements throughout the year, they’ve backed themselves into a corner with that performance against Georgia.
"It’s a hugely important game given that it signs off the year back against Scotland, where it all started out last February in the Six Nations.
"Ireland not only need a performance but they need a win and a better showing than in that second-half against Georgia."
Ireland edged to a 19-12 victory when they last met Scotland in February and while the visitors are weakened by injuries, Lenihan still believes they'll offer a real challenge for Ireland, one that they'll have to rise to.
"You look at the side and it’s very much along familiar lines. Had Tadgh Furlong and Gary Ringrose been available it would be their strongest side and nobody has that these days with the number of injuries you pick up.
"Looking at Scotland, they’re short their two first-choice number 10s in Finn Russell and Adam Hastings.
"They’ve a new capped played in Jaco van der Walt who has been with Edinburgh for the last number of years. Personally I’m thrilled from an Irish perspective that Hamish Watson isn’t in their back row.
"I think that overall Ireland are that little bit stronger but they to deliverer a performance, especially in the breakdown.
"They need to convert their chances, they’ve been making chances all year, particularly in this Autumn series.
"They’ve been putting the opposition under pressure in the opposition 22 but falling to convert that with points on the board, they have to address, if they do then I see them ending the year with a badly needed boost."
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