Important Ireland trio set for Scotland return

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and prop Tadhg Furlong are both set to return against Scotland

Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Jamison Gibson-Park are set to return for Ireland's Six Nations game away to Scotland on 12 March.

Ireland are two wins away from a first Grand Slam under Andy Farrell.

"We've got a good crop of players coming back when it matters," said head coach Farrell.

"Not far off all of them. Tadhg's going really well and we would expect him to train Wednesday and Thursday when we're in camp. Jamison's fit, Robbie's fit."

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Given Ireland have secured bonus-point victories over Wales, France and Italy without three important players - and captain Jonathan Sexton and centre Garry Ringrose missed the win on Saturday - Farrell admits the form of players who have stepped in may give him a selection headache for Ireland's final two games with Scotland and Italy.

Ulster's Stuart McCloskey has impressed at centre in place of Henshaw, while Finlay Bealham has stepped up in Furlong's absence and veteran scrum-half Conor Murray has rolled back the years after Gibson-Park was forced out of the Wales opener at the last second.

"We'll see how they compete and train and take note and hold our nerve to see how their training goes and make the call," he added.

When asked if the lack of game time for the injured trio matters, Farrell said: "Well obviously it matters because ideally you would love but how many times have we done this now?

"We've done it time and time again in regards not being ideal, I suppose game time etc.

"But we pride ourselves on making sure that our training gets people up to speed and we'll see how they'll come back into that and deal with all that. That will give us more of an idea."

Murrayfield one of the toughest places to go

Scotland's dream of a Grand Slam were ended in Paris on Sunday as France won a thrilling encounter but Gregor Townsend's men will secure the Triple Crown if they can defeat Ireland at Murrayfield.

Farrell added that Ireland's victory over a battling Italy side on Saturday was "a good win" but his side must improve if they are to win in Edinburgh after the break from action.

"It's one of the toughest places in world rugby to go and it doesn't matter what anyone's record is there, they're tough to beat there," he added.

"They're going for the Triple Crown - that will mean a lot to them so it has to mean even more to us."

After Saturday's win in Rome, Italy head coach Kieran Crowley said teams in the Six Nations have a duty to entertain and Farrell said he agreed with is counterpart "100%"

"I certainly would (agree), that's our job, to do that. I think the competition is good as well in regards to the points that are on offer.

"It makes people chase things more doesn't it? And it matters on both sides of the ball because keeping a losing bonus point out of the opposition is pretty valuable as well.

"So I think for that in itself the Six Nations should take a pat on the back for that because it makes people have to go and chase things, because you never know how the last couple of weeks are going to unfold."