Ireland vs Scotland LIVE: Result and latest reaction from Autumn Nations Cup

Follow the latest updates from the third-place play-off at the Aviva Stadium

Ireland celebrate after Keith Earls score his second try of the match against Scotland (PA)

Follow the latest updates as Ireland take on Scotland in the battle to claim third in the Autumn Nations Cup as Finals Weekend continues.

After Georgia and Fiji raised the curtain on today’s action, it’s the turn of the two group runners-up to take centre stage in the third-place play-off. It’s of course not the game that either wanted to be in, with Ireland coming unstuck against England earlier in the tournament while Scotland lost their decider to the French, but both sides have signalled their intent to end the year on a high with the Six Nations just around the corner.

Ireland will be led by returning captain Johnny Sexton who has recovered from a hamstring strain suffered in the opening game against Wales, while Scotland turn to debutant fly-half Jaco van der Welt in the hope of finding a replacement for injured duo Finn Russell and Adam Hastings. Follow the live updates below.

Ireland vs Scotland key points

• Ireland 31-16 Scotland
• Earls scores opening try of the match
• Scotland reduced to 14 men after Duncan Taylor sin-binned
• Healy adds second early in the second half
• Earls adds his second to assert commanding lead
• Scotland respond through Van der Merwe’s solo effort

[5 December 2020 16:40 · Jack de Menezes]

Wales vs Italy

The two teams emerge from the glowing-red tunnel into the cauldron that is the Parc y Scarlets, with fire shooting up into the sky just as it did last weekend. 

Time for the anthems.

[5 December 2020 16:28 · Jack de Menezes]

Wales vs Italy

Here’s how the teams line up taking into account that change:

Wales: Liam Williams; Josh Adams, George North, Jonathan Davies, Louis Rees-Zammit; Callum Sheedy, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones, James Botham, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Cory Hill, Aaron Wainwright, Gareth Davies, Ioan Lloyd, Jonah Holmes.

Italy: Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Marco Zanon, Carlo Canna, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Luca Bigi, Giosuè Zilocchi, Marco Lazzaroni, Niccolo Cannone, Maxime Mbanda, Johan Meyer, Braam Steyn.

Replacements: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Simone Ferrari, Pietro Ceccarelli, Cristian Stoian, Michele Lamaro, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tommaso Allan, Federico Mori.

[5 December 2020 16:27 · Jack de Menezes]

Wales vs Italy

So onto our final game of the day, where we have some early team news to bring you.

Wales have been forced into a change in the back line after Johnny Williams suffered a calf injury during yesterday’s captain’s run, meaning that a fit-again Jonathan Davies returns to the side in the No 12 shirt. It’s a blow that costs Wales one of their form players of the autumn, but in calling up a two-time Lions centre in his place, they won’t be too concerned.

[5 December 2020 16:18 · Jack de Menezes]

Full-time: Ireland 31-16 Scotland

It’s a deserved victory for Ireland in the end, with two Keith Earls scores sandwiching Cian Healy’s close-range effort to see off an ill-disciplined Scottish performance and clinch third place in the Autumn Nations Cup behind the two finalists.

Scotland at least didn’t wilt from the fight, with Duhan van der Merwe’s try lighting up the Aviva Stadium with a brilliant solo score, but too often they shot themselves in the foot by conceding a string of penalties.

We’ve still got one more match to bring you today as preparations are only just under way in Llanelli where Wales host Italy in the fifth-place play-off.

[5 December 2020 16:08 · Jack de Menezes]

80 mins: Ireland 31-16 Scotland

Ireland want to finish with a flourish and have a penalty advantage to boot, which they will take for offside. Gibson-Park, who has come on for the final 40 seconds, wants to go quick, but they decide against it and take the victory instead.

Ireland defeat Scotland 31-16 to clinch third place in the Autumn Nations Cup!

[5 December 2020 16:07 · Jack de Menezes]

79 mins: Ireland 31-16 Scotland

Ireland see a lineout go against them when Murray commits a small bit of foul play, giving Scotland a needless penalty that they tap and go. However, they can’t convert the chance and Ireland win back possession.

[5 December 2020 16:04 · Jack de Menezes]

76 mins: Ireland 31-16 Scotland

Byrne’s second effort is successful and the lead is out to 15.

[5 December 2020 16:02 · Jack de Menezes]

74 mins: Ireland 28-16 Scotland

O’Mahony goes for the line with a penalty advantage … and he looks to be in! Nope, the assistant referee has his flag up and says he has a foot in touch, and it’s the slimmest of margins that shows he’s got his foot just on the line. They come back for the penalty though for a no-arms tackle, and Byrne will go for goal to wind the clock down as stand-in captain Ryan heads off for an HIA.

[5 December 2020 15:59 · Jack de Menezes]

72 mins: Ireland 28-16 Scotland

Ireland get a big shove on in the scrum and draw the penalty out of the Scottish pack, which Byrne sends to touch inside the 22. A chance here to put the result beyond doubt, and they secure another penalty with Zander Fagerson not rolling away again.

[5 December 2020 15:56 · Jack de Menezes]

69 mins: Ireland 28-16 Scotland

Scotland try to maul a lineout forward but Ireland get on the ball and win the scrum put-in, and a brief flare up sees O’Mahony exchange words with replacement Blair Cowan that looks like it has a bit of niggle carried over.