A comfortable win for Ireland, but what have we learnt? They sit atop the embryonic table and may do after round five. It'll take a better team than Scotland to truly measure their potential as champions. As for Scotland, they'll be duking it out with Italy for the wooden spoon.

Thanks for all your Tweets and emails. Sorry I couldn't use them all. Night.

80 min Ireland drive at the line, a few metres out as the clock goes red. Now Jackson's cross kick bounces up and looks to have gone out, although Kearney leaps, claims it and dots down. If he's got that down it's incredible piece of athleticism with inches to work with.

79 min Couple more minutes of this. Ireland have a penalty on the left on their own 10m. Heaslip is named man of the match, which I guess is fair enough. Cian Healy was my first thought for the award, although who knows? This has been pretty forgettable stuff.

77 min The throw is wonky so Ireland get the scrum. This is so, so boring now.

76 min McFadden goes on the arcing run but holds on in the tackle. Scotland clear with the penalty.

75 min Scotland win the turnover in the ruck but refuse to release the ball, so Ireland have a penalty on the Scots' 10m line. Jackson kicks down the left to touch.

74 min Jackson, McFadden, Henderson and Boss on; Sexton, BOD, Toner and Murray off.

Knocked over from the left.

70 min Good work by the Irish backs as Sexton, on the loop, finds Dave Kearney who cuts back infield. The ball comes right then goes left again , about 30m out.

69 min Lovely kick from Sexton into the 22 finds touch. Scotland win it and Beattie looks to run, but O'Donnell brings him down. Hogg clears but misses touch and Trimble runs it back up to the 10m line.

68 min Ireland in the ascendancy here as they're getting more and more effective at clearing men out of rucks. A high kick from Murray is so nearly taken by Kearney, and there's controversy as the mark is called by Laidlaw when he might not have had the ball entirely in his grasp.

67 min Ireland get a penalty in the middle of the field on their own 10m line as Scotland rush off their feet at a ruck.

66 min BOD wins a tackle in midfield and Murray's chip over the top is deflected for Trimble to gather. It goes infield but Toner turns it over and Scotland get a penalty, which they take quickly before knocking the ball into touch wide on the left.

65 min Weir pokes a good kick over the top and into the corner, 7m out on the left. I have already forgotten everything that's happened in this match so far.

Matt Scott is on for Duncan Taylor.

64 min Scotland lineout on the left 15m out but as they look to pop it down the ball is intercepted and Murray can boot it long. Jack McGrath of Leinster comes on as Cian Healy, who has done well today, hobbles off.

63 min Eight phases and Scotland go nowhere. Taylor grubbers through eventually and as Kearney fields it he's tackled into touch. Martin Moore replaces Mike Ross for Ireland.

62 min Scotland lose the lineout again and O'Driscoll kicks to space. Hogg does well to counter and Scotland make their way up to halfway.

60 min Ireland turn it over and Scotland eventually decide to go right. Max Evans looks to run but can't wriggle free of the attentions of O'Driscoll. Sexton looks to win the turnover but the ball is still in the ruck when he goes for it and Scotland get a penalty.

59 min O'Driscoll gives D Kearney the hospital pass but Ireland retain possession on their own 10m line. Healy makes a burst, going over a ruck and up towards the 22. Heaslip takes it on and Ireland continue to play the slow, narrow game.

58 min Sexton kicks for touch up on halfway.

Here's something for you BOD fans.

57 min Johnny Beattie replaces Kelly Brown and Richie Gray is on for Jim Hamilton. Hogg catches a long kick and runs from deep, beating one tackle and offloading. There's a knock on but the referee misses it and Scotland work their way into the 22. The touch judge is still standing infield looking to flag for that, but it doesn't really matter as Ireland win first the turnover, then the penalty.

55 min Sexton and O'Driscoll combine on the loop around and Ireland get both the advantage and to within 5m. The ball gets stuck in a ruck so back we go for the penalty.

54 min Ireland swing it infield and then further left. Scotland's defence is solid though for the time being and Ireland can't make any headway.

52 min Clean lineout ball again from Ireland and they're sniffing around the 22. Sexton gives it to Marshall who runs a diagonal line and takes the contact in the 22. It's not been particularly fluid from Ireland but they're the better side here. The ball goes loose but it comes off a Scottish hand and Ireland have a scrum over on the right.

51 min Scotland are struggling in the scrum and concede a free kick. Murray kicks over the top and Lamont runs it back. The ball is passed right inside to Duncan Taylor, but the Saracens centre overcooks a kick straight out. That was very poor, with men to his right.

50 min Trimble does well to take a high kick from Laidlaw but then spills the ball in contact. That epitomises most of the match so far. Sean Maitland has a futuristic-looking robo-cast on his right leg.

49 min Niall Mullen has a more sensible take on the Gatland/BOD issue, which we'll read while not much happens out on the pitch:

The O'Driscoll-Gatland thing is a real case of post hoc ergo propter hoc. That the Lions won without O'Driscoll doesn't mean they would have lost with him. In any case the result renders the argument pointless and anyone still debating it a massive eejit. Oh.

On the 22, 15m infield and straight through.

46 min The feed is for once straight and Ireland win the scrum against the head. It's flung wide for Dave Kearney on the left wing but he's tackled. Scotland go off their feet and Ireland get a penalty, which Sexton kicks to touch.

44 min Good restart chipped down the middle and Ireland get the ball back about 25m from the Scotland line. They elect to keep it narrow for now, driving patiently through the middle. The play shuffles into the 22 and shuttles left then back inside. Kearney comes in off the wing but is stopped dead in his tracks. Now Ireland go wide but Sexton's pass for Rob Kearney is into touch.

42 min Finally a good lineout for Scotland, 15m out, and indeed they get a penalty for side entry at the maul.

41 min Back we come with no further changes. Elsewhere on the sports desk, Ian McCourt has Arsenal v Palace. Scotland get the early territorial advantage with a lineout in the Ireland 22 on the right.

Hilariously, one or two folk are suggesting Gatland was wrong to drop O'Driscoll for the third Lions Test. Let's remember how that one worked out, shall we?

As the clock goes red.

39 min Scotland lose another lineout 5m from their own line and now Ireland will hammer at the defence. Sexton looks to have wasted it with a poor kick deep into the in-goal area, but we'll go back for a penalty for offside.

39 min Oh that's brilliant from Sexton! He dances from his 22 past about six players into the Scotland half then flings it left to Heaslip with a wonderful wide pass. Heaslip gallops into the corner down the left flank, but just as he goes to ground it Evans drags his foot into touch.

37 min Poor box kick from Laidlaw is taken on the full by D Kearney just outside the 22. He turns and kicks up to halfway. This entire match is being played between halfway and Ireland's 22, which is never a good sign.

36 min Sexton kicks up to just inside the Scotland half but Scotland get the scrum for the throw not being straight. Sigh.

34 min Finally, we can play some rugby again. Here go Scotland again, patiently working their way up to the 22, but Laidlaw slings it back to Hogg on the 10m line, who then decides he won't go for the drop goal. Some nice hands get it to Evans on the wing but, as he carries it up to within 30m, Scotland concede another penalty.

November 1st 2014: The scrum is completed.

33 min Max Evans comes on for Maitland and will go straight on to the wing. We're taking an age to set a scrum again. This has been a poor match.

32 min Maitland and Dave Kearney chase the same high ball and as the big Scot comes down he goes over nastily on his ankle. That didn't look good.

31 min Good scrum from Ireland but Denton picks up and drives for the line. The BBC camera angles are dreadful so I'm not sure what happened... ah it was a great tackle from Murray to carry Denton into touch. Ireland then win the lineout and Murray kicks clear well.

29 min Tuohy takes it but Scotland look to disrupt them on the ground. It's a great counter ruck and the scrum is given to Scotland down in the right-hand corner, 5m out. Good chance this.

28 min Scotland go right from the lineout and Hogg chips a nice kick through for Maitland, which bobbles out on the Ireland 5m line.

27 min Oh dear, Ireland win the lineout and clear. Scotland fling it left and right again but again it goes loose. Duncan Weir spots a gap behind Kearney but the full back slaps it back into play and clears well. That's fantastic play from the Leinster man.

26 min Scotland fire it the width of the pitch but are marked well. Still, Cian Healy collapsed the maul so it's a penalty to Scotland on the right, 45m out. Scotland kick to touch and have a lineout on the 22.

24 min Advantage Ireland as Denton spills Murray's box kick. Ireland spin it right through Marshall, but they turn it over on their right hand touchline near halfway. Now it's Scotland who spread it and Maitland is tackled of halfway. The ball goes loose and although Hogg collects, Scotland are going backwards. As such they decide to kick down the line and Kearney ushers it into touch.

21 min Better lineout from Ireland and Scotland are offside. Craig Joubert plays the advantage but Sexton is thumped to ground in the tackle so we go back. The penalty is 25m or so out, slightly to the left, but straightforward.

20 min Kearney runs up to the 10m line but Ireland get slow ball. Left it goes and Connor Murray looks to dart before BOD puts a kick through. Lamont runs it out but is caught 15m from his own line and Laidlaw has to put in a good box kick to clear.

17 min Eventually we get a better scrum from Scotland and they spread it wide, Lamont taking it into contact on the left. Back the other way we go through Denton but Scotland are going to have to be patient to get to the 22. The ball goes loose and although Maitland gathers they're driven back behind the Irish 10m line now. The Scots' patience is rewarded though as Toner fails to roll away in the ruck.

15 min O'Driscoll almost goes through the gap and offloads for Henry, but it's a little low and is knocked on. Scrum to Scotland on their right, on the half way line.

14 min Weir with the restart, again taken by Dave Kearney. Incidentally apparently the link to my email address wasn't working, but that's fixed now, again if you refresh the page.

13 min Ireland's turn to lose the lineout but Weir's kick is taken in the middle by Kearney. He carries up into the Scotland half where Kelly Brown fails to roll out of the tackle. Sexton will have a shot from 35m, just to the left.

12 min That's a great scrum by Ireland and Denton is pinned down on his own line. Laidlaw picks up and box kicks well, clearing to about 25m.

11 min This is horribly tedious as we continue to set the scrum.

8 min Toner wins it and Ireland push a mighty maul up to the line. Surely that's held in there. Yes it's a collapsed maul and Scotland get the scrum. Lucky escape there for the Scots.

7 min Poor throw and Ireland steal the lineout. Sexton clears and Hogg takes well on his own 10m line but Ireland smother him and turn over. They pass along the line left and get up to the 22. Sexton prods it through but Hogg sweeps up and clears with no angle to work with, so Ireland will have the throw in the 22.

6 min Scotland take a quick lineout and Hogg breaks before offloading to Weir in the 22. He's turned over though in the centre and Kearney slices a clearance up to the 10m line.

Laidlaw will have a shot at goal from 41m, just to the right. Laidlaw was very unlucky not to make the Lions tour I thought; he's certainly better than Phillips and Youngs. This effort is back off the post though.

4 min Ireland win the ball and set up a series of rucks just inside their own half. Marshall looks to dart through but is hit hard by Denton and Chris Henry concedes a penalty on the floor.

3 min Ahh after several patient phases Scotland get into the 22 but Lamont holds on and Ireland can clear with a penalty, which Sexton kicks up to halfway.

2 min Fly half Weir kicks and it's charged down, but the ball comes back to Scotland. They go again, slowly before Sunbar makes a half break. They're being pinned outside the 22 but showing good handling skills in good conditions for passing rugby.

1 min Scotland get us underway with a kick to the backs, which Dave Kearney takes. O'Mahoney carries from the ruck out of the 22, before Ireland decide to clear through a high kick from Sexton. Scotland run from their 10m line, Maitland taking into contact as he arcs towards the right touchline. Across it comes to the left and Scotland get up to the Ireland 10m line.

Not-Lansdowne Road is in great voice and packed to the rafters. Much as I love my job, I do wish I was going to one of these Six Nations games.

I've updated the Ireland team to account for O'Connell's absence, if you'd care to refresh the page. Jamie Heaslip is captain today, with Iain Henderson taking Tuohy's place on the bench.

Further evidence of BOD's arrogance: he's the only one out there wearing jogging bottoms during the warm-up, rather than shorts. It's like the rules don't apply to that guy. That said, he is 92 years old and probably needs to wrap up. Dublin looks freezing.

It's on the subject of Brian O'Driscoll and comes courtesy of Beth Evans, who is happy to incur the wrath of my colleague Ian McCourt a whole island:

Hi Dan. As a proud Welsh fan I find it far easier to admire BOD than I do to actually like the guy. His comments about Gatland and the fact he doesn't seem to feel the need to have actually earned his place in the Lions side suggest a disagreeable arrogance (not to mention that knee to Henson's back), especially in light of Gatland being vindicated with, you know, a record win in the third Test. Brilliant player, yes, but a bit of a dick if you ask me.

It'd be remiss, I suppose to ignore the other 43 players involved today and what their teams might be doing out on the pitch. Certainly Scotland will be hoping more than Ireland for a repeat of last year's campaign, when the Scots did brilliantly to finish in third place and Ireland avoided the wooden spoon on points difference alone. The corresponding fixture between these two teams was a nightmare for Ireland, who blew an 8-0 lead and collapsed in the face of Greg Laidlaw. It also featured one of the most bizarre and ill-thought kicks you'll ever see, courtesy of Ronan O'Gara.

This time though we can expect things to be rather different. Ireland were a mixed bag in the Autumn – awful against Australia, brilliant in the first half against the All Blacks – and will be hoping that Joe Schmidt can get them playing like his Leinster side of the past five or six years. Until last season they came close to dominating Europe, and with 13 of his former charges in the squad today the home crowd will be looking for his trademark combination of pace, power and directness.

Scotland, for all their improvement under Scott Johnson, are a side still in transition. As the Six Nations concurs with spring birthing new life, so this tournament should see shoots of creativity – so sparse under previous recent tenures – emerge from the bleak, wintry Scotland back line. Greg Laidlaw, Stuart Hogg and Seans Maitland and Lamont are all capable of creating and scoring tries, so Ireland's defence will have to be more alert than you would say of Scotland's various opponents over the past decade. The most exciting prospect though is centre Matt Scott, today on the bench after recovering from injury, who has proved capable of unpicking Celtic defences aplenty for Edinburgh in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 (or whatever they're calling it now) recently; Scotland will be looking for more of the same in this tournament.

Kick-off is 3pm. Dan's patented always-wrong-prediction is a 15-point win for the home team.

Some lovely faux Irishness from that bloke out of The Wire.

Ireland: 15 R Kearney, 14 D Kearney, 13 O'Driscoll, 12 Marshall, 11 Trimble, 10 Sexton, 9 Murray; 1 Healy, 2 Best, 3 Ross, 4 Toner, 5 Tuohy, 6 O'Mahony, 7 Henry, 8 Heaslip (capt)

Replacements: 16 Cronin, 17 McGrath, 18 Moore, 19 Henderson, 20 O'Donnell, 21 Boss, 22 Jackson, 23 McFadden

Scotland: 15 Hogg, 14 Maitland, 13 Dunbar, 12 Taylor, 11 Lamont, 10 Weir, 9 Laidlaw; 1 Grant, 2 Ford, 3 Low, 4 Swinson, 5 Hamilton, 6 Wilson, 7 Brown (capt), 8 Denton

Replacements: 16 MacArthur, 17 Dickinson, 18 Cross, 19 Gray, 20 Beattie, 21 Cusiter, 22 Scott, 23 Evans

Scotland are also playing today.

Afternoon folks, how are you? It's October 21st 2000 and we're at Franklin's Gardens, home of the reigning Heineken Cup champions Northampton Saints. John Steele's side had lost their opening two games – understandably in Biarritz, less forgivably at home to Edinburgh Reivers – but were surely favourites for this one against their underdog Irish opponents. "Where's Leinster?" asked your then-14-year-old MBMer.

The final score was close; indeed an 8-14 defeat for Northampton would be seen as respectable today and was a lot closer than when the two sides met on the same ground in the same competition earlier this season. The gulf in class was absurd though and only heroic defending by the Saints' back row kept our visitors to the single try. Even looking back at the respective team sheets, there wasn't a huge gulf in quality between the sides with the exception of one key position: 13.

Some 21-year-old kid wasn't someone the parochial home crowd had feared before the match, despite having made his Ireland debut a year previously and bagged a hat-trick in Paris. We knew all about him afterwards though. "We couldn't work out where the ball was, his hands moved so fast" was how my dad put it earlier. The guy was a whirlwind of creativity, a youngster who played the game like no one else in that stadium knew it could be played. Although Leinster didn't qualify from their group that year, it wouldn't be long before the rest of Europe knew about him too and the rest of the world soon followed.

February 2nd 2014. Today begins the lap of honour, the fond farewell, the final international campaign for one of the greatest players ever to play the game. In 20 years I haven't seen a centre like him and there are those who have watched the game for longer who feel the same. The way he gives off the air of someone with an inalienable right to win means he's not the most likeable player around, but there a few more respected. With 128 caps already to his name and 45 tries in the famous green shirt, thus begins the final Six Nations campaign for BOD.