Hawick’s Darcy Graham confident Scotland can end seven-year losing streak against Ireland at rugby

Darcy Graham during last Friday’s team run ahead of Scotland’s 31-19 Six Nations win against Italy at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium the day after (Photo: Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

Hawick’s Darcy Graham is confident that Scotland are capable of ending their seven-year losing streak against Ireland this coming Sunday in rugby’s 2025 Six Nations – but only if they bring their A game and avoid playing into their opponents’ hands.

It’s eight years ago today, February 4, since Scotland last beat the Irish – by 27-22 at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium, thanks to two tries from fellow ex-Green Stuart Hogg and another from Alex Dunbar, plus 12 points kicked by Jedburgh’s Greig Laidlaw – and Graham believes it’s high time for a repeat of that feat.

“We’ve improved massively,” said the 42-times-capped 27-year-old.

“I think the confidence is there, the belief is there – that’s a big thing.

Darcy Graham on his way to setting up Scotland’s fourth try during their 31-19 Six Nations win against Italy at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday (Photo: Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

“We actually believe we can win now. Maybe two seasons ago, we spoke about it, about winning, but probably didn’t really believe it – I think now is the time we genuinely believe it.

“As a team, we’re not looking too far in front – we’re just taking one week at a time, one game at a time, and just getting things right that week as we prep for that game will set us in good stead.”

Though four places in rugby’s world rankings separate head coach Gregor Townsend’s sixth-rated Scots from interim opposite number Simon Easterby’s visitors, Edinburgh winger Graham – only 19 and still over a year and a half away from getting his first cap the last time his country came up trumps against the Irish – is confident they can end their ten-match losing run against them if they play to the best of their ability come 3pm on Sunday at Murrayfield.

“Do we feel we’re getting closer to Ireland? Of course we are,” said the Borderer.

Darcy Graham on the ball for Scotland during their 31-19 Six Nations win against Italy at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“Obviously they’re an unbelievable team. If they turn up, on their day they’re very dangerous, but control is almost in our hands, by not giving them easy penalties, easy ins into the game, so it’s down to us. That’s where they thrive, that’s where we need to keep them at bay. We can’t let them into the game, so it’s all on us.

“As individuals, they’re world class – as a team, they’re world class – but you never know. On the day, they can turn up and they can put 30 points on you, so it’s about turning up on Sunday, being on the ball for the full 80 minutes and not letting them into the game.”

Graham goes into round two of this Six Nations as Scotland’s second-highest try-scorer of all time, on 29, one behind Edinburgh team-mate Duhan van der Merwe, but he’s insistent that breaking or matching any such records, though a source of pride when it happens, will always come second to helping his side win.

“That is obviously at the back of my mind right now,” he said. “For myself, it’s a team-first mentality. I’m not even thinking about that.

“I want to win games and I just need to play well. If I can put boys away, I’ll put them away. If I can score tries, I’ll score tries. For myself right now, my focus is on winning games and just doing what I need to do for the team.”

Looking back over Saturday’s 31-19 opening win against Italy at Murrayfield, Graham accepts the level of performance put in by his team that time round wouldn’t be good enough for them to be in with any hope of beating Ireland, saying: “I came off that pitch and I wasn’t too pleased with how we played.

“We got a huge amount of ball in the first half. I needed a wee bit of magic, I created it and we scored off it. Sometimes that’s the way games go and sometimes all you need is one bit of magic to get the team back on front foot.

“It was just individual errors that stopped us from cutting them out of the game, discipline as well – we gave them 12 points first up off the tee, so that was a killer. If we do that to Ireland next week, it’s going to be a tough day.

“Discipline needs to improve and those wee tidy-ups as individuals and we’lll be fine. There are huge improvements for next week to come from us, so it’s exciting.”

This year’s Six Nations is Graham’s first since 2022, having been ruled out of the last two by injury, so he’s glad to be back, saying: “Missing the last two in a row just through injury was a frustrating time, but getting here now, it feels massive. It’s going to be a huge year so it’s exciting to be back with the guys.”

​Hawick’s Darcy Graham confident Scotland can end seven-year losing streak against Ireland at rugby

Hawick’s Darcy Graham confident Scotland can end seven-year losing streak against Ireland at rugby