IAN HERBERT: Ireland must prove they can deal with searing scrutiny after their Gran Slam hopes were crushed by England… with Andy Farrell’s men returning home to face Scotland on St Patrick’s weekend

So the Irish once again come home for St. Patrick’s weekend, with talk of glory in the skies.

On the face of it, this seems like the perfect elimination of time and place, as a win or draw against Scotland would clinch the Six Nations title. Yet there is the stubborn, gloomy ‘if only’ that has haunted the Irish capital since England’s last goal at Twickenham a week ago.

A win against the English would have been the story of Ireland chasing their first consecutive Grand Slams of the Six Nations era.

Instead, they’re aiming for back-to-back championships, which don’t quite have the same cachet. Things just don’t feel as heady as they did when they beat England to clinch a Slam on Irish soil for the first time last year.

Despite all this, there is a real meaning and point to prove as Andy Farrell’s players look to end a tournament they started in such glorious style against France in Marseille six weeks ago with flying colours.

Andy Farrell wants his side to finish well this weekend when they play Scotland

Questions are being asked if they can seal and defend their championship (pictured last year) – making England’s match against France in Lyon irrelevant

The task of this team is to prove that they do not flatter to deceive. That they can win on the big occasion under close supervision, with questions being asked, as really big parties do.

When push came to shove, they couldn’t hold their own against New Zealand 154 days ago. Now questions are being asked again. Can they wrap up this championship, making England’s match against France in Lyon irrelevant?

Can they put behind them the indifferent chasing, six-of-ten defending and inaccurate passing under pressure that made them look well below their level last weekend?

Some in their number carry a twinge of injustice into tonight’s clash with the Scots. There was vicious abuse on social media after Twickenham against Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray – staggering considering this was Ireland’s first defeat in 12 Six Nations games.

Farrell’s less than detailed explanation of why Ireland failed reinforced the impression that they are not entirely sure how that happened last week.

“You wish you had another chance this week to go back and put that right, but you don’t,” he said.

“I thought we were a little off in terms of absolutely everything we were going to do. I assume this applies throughout the entire game. You want another chance to make things right.”

He sticks with the players he had confidence in. Ireland’s unchanged starting line-up has raised some eyebrows as Calvin Nash was forced off following a thunderous clash with England’s Tommy Freeman last Saturday.

Farrell is sticking with the players he had confidence in last weekend’s match against England

Farrell will miss the 2025 Six Nations with Ireland as he will coach the Lions instead

Farrell will send Ireland to a Six Nations match for the last time until 2026 – he will miss the 2025 edition because he will be Lions coach – and it is his power of motivation that can help Ireland now.

His delivery to the side before sending them out to beat England and achieve that Slam 12 months ago was captured in the Netflix series Full Contact and surpassed any coaching talk we heard in the episodes.

“It doesn’t get any better, guys,” Farrell told them that day. “And do you know what this day should feel like?

‘It must feel like the best day of your life. We should feel so privileged to be in this room.”

They did not abandon him. The spirit of that St Patrick’s weekend is something Ireland must now rediscover, to fuel this weekend.