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 18:44 · Jack de Menezes]

Full-time: Wales 38-18 Italy

Well in the end it’s a deserved victory for Wales, but that was a pretty entertaining way for both sides to finish the campaign for two sides that won’t look back on 2020 fondly.

Wales were far from perfect, but Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric were simply sublime tonight and had a hand in setting up four of their five tries that really serves as a reminder of how good Wales could and should be. Italy certainly fronted up with their most impressive showing of the campaign, but it has been more than five years since they last beat a Six Nations side and they have gone a calendar year now without a win to their name. 

[5 December 2020 18:34 · Jack de Menezes]

80 mins: Wales 38-18 Italy

Ioane tries to break down the left wing, but he leaves the ball behind him and that will be all she wrote for the match.

Wales beat Italy 38-18 to finish fifth in the Autumn Nations Cup!

[5 December 2020 18:32 · Jack de Menezes]

80 mins: Wales 38-18 Italy

Adams is penalised for a high tackle on Palazzani, and Italy will have one last chance to try and finish with something to be proud of.

[5 December 2020 18:30 · Jack de Menezes]

76 mins: Wales 38-18 Italy

Now that is a good try! Sheedy takes possession to the line and, seeing the rush defence bolt up, just delays his pass to Faletau to perfection. It releases the No 8 on the edge, and although he could go it alone, he utilises the three-on-one to feed Justin Tipuric to go over as the pair combine for the fourth time today to score. Sheedy adds the conversion and that will be the game, ladies and gentlemen.

[5 December 2020 18:27 · Jack de Menezes]

76 mins: Wales 36-18 Italy

TRY FOR WALES!

[5 December 2020 18:26 · Jack de Menezes]

73 mins: Wales 31-18 Italy

Italy are going to go down swinging here as they are forced back deep by a Gareth Davies kick, with the ball being flung around in the hope of finding a gap. Instead they choose to kick and the ball just bounces unkindly, allowing Sheedy to counter down the left. He’s grabbed by Meyer though and the flanker judo-throws him into touch with a big impact as he crashes down to earth on his back, and he certainly felt that one.

[5 December 2020 18:22 · Jack de Menezes]

69 mins: Wales 31-18 Italy

Wayne Barnes rules that he saw a grounding, but wants to check with the TMO to see if it was held up of not. From the footage, there’s no evidence that it was grounded, but Barnes says he saw a grounding and sticks with the try to give George North the score. Sheedy expertly converts, but that’s a bit of a hard one for Italy to take.

[5 December 2020 18:20 · Jack de Menezes]

69 mins: Wales 29-18 Italy

TRY FOR WALES!

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

69 mins: Wales 24-18 Italy

Italy are turned over inside their own half and Wales have numbers out wide. They attack quickly through North, Rees-Zammit and Adams, before Holmes is stopped short. They recycle … and they think they’re over! We go to the TMO…

[5 December 2020 18:17 · Jack de Menezes]

67 mins: Wales 24-18 Italy

Wales are really patched up now, with replacement hooker Elliot Dee on in the back row as Lewis-Hughes is already off the field and Wainright in the second row. It means Parry will have to go the distance in the front row, and they come up with an error as an early drive sees a free-kick handed to Italy.