'What do you expect him to say?': Former Ireland forward backs Scotland star and rejects 'arrogance' claims

It comes after Darcy Graham said the Irish were ‘there for the taking’ in the aftermath of the 50-40 win for Gregor Townsend’s side over France at Murrayfield. Those comments seem to have divided opinion, with many seeing them as echoing a similar quote three years ago that drove Ireland on to victory at the 2023 World Cup.

Blair Kinghorn spoke in the build-up to the match at the Stade de France and claimed they would be the ones to end an Irish winning run stretching back to 2017. Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony referenced those quotes following their 36-14 win, clearly intimating that they had used them as a driving force for motivation in their preparations.

‘That’s just fact’ - former Ireland international backs up Scotland winger Graham

Despite suggestions to the contrary, former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman doesn’t believe Graham’s comments should be interpreted as arrogant. In fact, the nine times capped Connacht man agreed with what Scotland’s record try scorer had to say.

Speaking on the RTÉ Rugby podcast, he said: “I genuinely don't think he should be challenged in any way by what he said. I think we always jump on this Scotland are arrogant narrative. What do you expect him to say? Even in the past I don't think they’ve said anything that's that bad.”

Addressing the comparisons to O’Mahony back in 2023, he added: “I think that's Pete's modus operandum, to try and find a cause. Obviously we've ran into each other lots, 11 times in the last nine years, so there's that edge, there's a rivalry between the players.

“Ireland have been in decline. That's just fact. There's certain question marks around Ireland. We've had a brilliant performance against England in and around that but it's hardly the golden days in terms of our actual performance.

“I can see improvement. Wales was hard-fought. Italy was hard-fought. I'm not knocking the team, but you're coming to Dublin in a hunt for a championship, in a hunt for a Triple Crown, you need to portray a little bit of confidence.

“That's my personal opinion. It will be shoved down their throat if they don't perform, but let's see what happens after the game. Let's give them a chance to play.”

‘Zero arrogance’ in Scotland squad says former scrum half Rory Lawson

Jackman’s comments were supported by former Scotland player Rory Lawson, who was also appearing as a guest on the same podcast episode. The ex-scrum half, who won 31 caps for his country between 2006 and 2010, believes Graham would have been dragged over the coals for saying anything other than a statement which portrayed confidence.

He said: “I know the Scotland squad, I know the guys. If Darcy sat in front of a media press conference and said anything but we're going to Dublin to win and we believe we have the ingredients to be able to win, then there would be the reverse of ‘Scotland don't believe’. There is a genuine belief and confidence within that squad that they can do it.

“There is zero arrogance, because they've got recent and long-term experience of being knocked over by Ireland, of having done this before. With Peter O'Mahony and previous years, you would have the critics say ‘what grounds have Scotland got to think that they can talk about beating us?’ I think there may be a slight difference now in that squad.

“He (O’Mahony) found that focus in ‘these guys think they're better than they are, so we'll show them otherwise.’ I think because of the number of Scottish players who were on that Lion’s tour alongside Andy Farrell and his Irish players, they'll have learned a lot about the Scotland guys and about their character. They'll know that there's not a whole lot of arrogance that kicks around within that group.”

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