Heaslip ends Scottish resistance but coach Schmidt is left fuming

Leinster No 8 Heaslip assumed the captaincy after talismanic lock Paul O’Connell was felled by a chest infection on Saturday night.

Tries from wing Andrew Trimble and full-back Rob Kearney cemented victory in head coach Joe Schmidt’s first Six Nations clash.

Unruffled Ireland refused to let Munster lock O’Connell’s absence shake them off their stride, dispatching Scotland in what ultimately became a routine victory.

Ireland coped admirably without bullish ball-carriers O’Connell and flanker Sean O’Brien, with Chris Henry and Peter O’Mahony impressing.

But Kiwi boss Schmidt will be at pains to warn Ireland just how much of a step up the visit of Wales will prove in round two on Saturday.

Despite Ireland’s three-try win, Heaslip conceded head coach Schmidt had ripped into his men after the final whistle.

“Huge improvements will be needed for next week,” said 61-cap Heaslip.

“Joe had a couple of choice words for us in the changing rooms afterwards, and I’m sure there will be more on Monday night.

“Our poor analysts will be working on that and won’t see the Super Bowl!

“It will be a huge challenge to go up against a team that’s won this championship two years in a row.

“It was a big shock to us about Paul, we watched line-outs at seven o’clock on Saturday night with him.

“Paul had given us really good direction during the week, so we had the knowledge and then we had to bring the physicality and intensity, and we managed to do that.

“It’s a big shame to lose a character like Paul, a great leader and an inspiration.

“But credit to Dan (Tuohy) who had a great game, and will give Joe a good headache.”

Naivety cost Scotland any chance of victory, according to head coach Scott Johnson.

“We may have to go to some dark places and bring some torches; we may have to do that,” said Johnson.

“There’s a naivety that will get there by having some time in the saddle.

“There’s inexperience in that backline, they are still growing as lads.

“They don’t understand they are doing the hard bits quite easily, but it’s the finishing off.

“They were up against some wily customers who have been about around the block a bit.”

Ireland: R Kearney, Trimble, O’Driscoll (McFadden 72), Marshall, D Kearney, Sexton (Jackson 72), Murray (Boss 72); Healy (McGrath 63), Best, Ross (Moore 62), Toner (Henderson 73), Tuohy, O’Mahony (O’Donnell 65), Henry, Heaslip.

Scotland: Hogg, Maitland (Evans 31), Dunbar, Taylor, Lamont, Weir, Laidlaw (Cusiter 73); Grant (Dickinson 52), Ford (MacArthur 67), M Low (Cross 65), Swinson, Hamilton (R Gray 56), Wilson, Brown (Beattie 56), Denton.

Referee: C Joubert (South Africa).