The pressure of a potentialGrand Slam seemed to be weighing heavily on Irish shoulders in the first half at Murrayfield, while a fired-up Scotland came out determined to record only their second win of the campaign.
As if the Six Nations and a potentialGrand Slam didn't raise the stakes enough, there will be individual intrigue as well as key players on both sides make their cases to be included in this summer's British and Irish Lions squad.