Despite starting the campaign with a loss in Scotland, Ireland's head coach Joe Schmidt insists that winning the Six Nations remains their primary objective.Six Nations crown is still the target despite opening the tournament with a defeat in Scotland.
After a narrow 27-22 defeat at Murrayfield, Schmidt is expecting his team to bounce back. He made it clear that he won't be making any impulsive changes to the lineup just because of one loss.
Speaking to the media, he mentioned that while they'll review the game tape before making any calls, he doesn't intend to make any panicked adjustments to the squad.
He emphasized that the current players put in a tremendous amount of work to earn their spots, so it wouldn't be right to suddenly replace them and throw new players into a difficult situation.
Schmidt believes the squad is fully aware of where they stand and is confident that the players are eager to fight their way back to the top.
He further noted that the team has a proven track record of stepping up when the pressure is on, having shown this resilience several times in the recent past.
Ireland's next challenge is a trip to Italy this Saturday, where they are heavy favorites at 1.04. Italy is a long shot at 10.00, while a draw is priced at 51.00.Ireland travel to Italy in their next match on Saturday and they are 1.04 to secure a win. Italy can be backed at 10.00 and a draw is 51.00.
Following Italy, Schmidt's men will face France at home in late February, followed by a visit to Wales, and closing the tournament against England. Currently, Ireland is quoted at 6.50 to win the championship, while Scotland sits at 10.00.Schmidt’s side then host France at the end of February before a trip to Wales, with England set to visit Ireland in the final round of fixtures. Ireland are 6.50 to win the Six Nations outright and Scotland can be backed at 10.00.