Andy Farrell says his side's dominant record over Scotland will count for nothing with so much on the line in their Guinness Six Nations finale on Saturday.
A Triple Crown will be up for grabs at the very least, while the winner could also claim the title, a scenario that seemed unthinkable after Ireland were beaten by France and Scotland lost to Italy in the opening round.
Whoever wins on Saturday will get to celebrate their Triple Crown success before a nervous wait on events in Paris where France host England, and the title will ultimately be decided.
Historically, this fixture has been dominated by Ireland, who have won the last 11 meetings of the sides, with Scotland last coming out on top in the 2017 Six Nations opener at Murrayfield, a game that pre-dates the tenures of both Farrell and Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend.
Scotland’s last away win against Ireland in the Six Nations, you’d have to go back to 2010 at Croke Park, while it’s 28 years since they’ve beaten Ireland at Lansdowne Road.
"Honestly, I say it every single year, the record, it becomes irrelevant when next week comes around," Farrell said, after his side's 27-17 bonus-point win against Wales.
That victory leaves Ireland two points back from both France and Scotland heading into the final week, with the Scots blowing the championship wide open on Saturday when they obliterated France’s Grand Slam charge with a sensational 50-40 win at Murrayfield.
That scoreline was flattering on Les Bleus, who had trailed 47-14 at one point, before scoring four late tries.
"I think they’re a great side," the Ireland head coach added of next week’s opponents. "They’re a talented side. They’re well coached, they’ve had some big wins.
"We’re expecting a massive game next week and, yeah, the record doesn’t come into it because it’s a proper Test match and the build-up and a good week to get excited."
Regardless of how the championship is decided, the prize of a Triple Crown will be huge for both sides, particularly in the context of how they started the Six Nations.
Triple Crowns have become a regular occurrence for Ireland since they ended a long wait for one back in 2004, adding eight more since, most recently last year.
Scotland, however, have been aching for a trio of wins against their British and Irish neighbours since way back in 1990, with their last Triple Crown coming before any of their current squad were even born.
And Farrell believes whoever deals with that cup final experience better next week will be grateful for it when the sides meet again at the World Cup in 2027.
"You should never underestimate it, to be able to go for the Triple Crown," he said. "It’s huge and it means a lot to us. It certainly does. It’s also going to mean a lot to them as well.
"What’s coming down the line in the next 18 months, to get to the last week and there’s a Triple Crown on the line, it’s going to be the type of pressure that we want to be able to deal with."
While Scotland are carrying a number of injury worries coming into the game following a physical encounter at the weekend, Ireland appear to have come through their win against Wales in reasonable nick.
Jeremy Loughman appears to be the biggest injury concern, with the loosehead missing out on Friday’s victory due to a calf injury.
Even if the Munster prop does prove his fitness, Farrell may be tempted to retain Tom O’Toole (above) in the number 1 jersey after he impressed both in the tight and the loose versus Wales.
The Ulster prop has played the majority of his rugby at tighthead, but has filled in on the left side of the scrum throughout this campaign.
"Amazing, what he’s done," said the Englishman. "I don’t think anyone could underestimate that fact. It’s a lot more difficult then what people would think
"What’s been really impressive is how he committed to it, how he committed to not having any excuses in his own mind.
"It’s very easy to do that: 'Well, that’s not the position that I play in’.
"Everyone knows how difficult it is to switch, but he committed to it and we’ve seen that type of scrummaging performance in training. He got us a few penalties on the back of that."
And Farrell (below) believes that type of versatility could stand to his squad in Australia in 18 months' time.
"There’s always stuff going on in the back of your mind with what could happen down the track and different permutations, what could happen injury-wise or do you need a double adaptor in the World Cup, all that type of stuff.
"He’s trained there for us before but to be in at the deep end and start, I’m sure that him and John Fogarty [scrum coach] wouldn’t have thought six months ago that he’d be starting at loosehead in a Test match, but I think that’s a fantastic story for us, moving forward.
"The dynamics are going to keep unfolding in front out of our face but you’ve got Ports [Andrew Porter], who can play both sides.
"You’ve got Tom O’Toole, who can do that and you’ve got all the young kids there at loosehead who are going to keep competing.
"When we do get them all back - it’s been a nightmare, hasn't it, in terms of that position is concerned - but when they do all come back, it’s going to stand to us."
