Andy Robinson's men finally got some reward for all their hard work this season with a party-pooping victoy over Ireland at Croke Park. Iain Morrison was there for The Scotsman.
"Coming at the end of a disappointing season this fabulous win was only Scotland's second over Ireland in the extended Six Nations, with the last one occurring way in 2001 when the match that was rearranged around the foot and mouth epidemic. Scotland's only other recent success was a friendly match at Murrayfield ahead of the World Cup of 2007, when Eddie O'Sullivan fielded a weakened team.
Fly-half Dan Parks – you can't keep him down – won the match for Scotland with a drop goal and five penalties, the last one coming two minutes from time to seal the victory, but once again he showed his Jekyll and Hyde nature. Apart from his crucial contribution with the boot he also stripped Paul O'Connell of the ball just before half time. Against that, the Aussie still has the blinkers on in attack, ignoring overlaps and mismatches galore when Scotland had the whip hand. For all his efforts Parks remains what he always has been, a kicking stand-off, as constant as the north star, take him or leave him."
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