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Duncan Hodge: 'Scotland to focus on basics against Ireland'

Hodge: 'Scotland to focus on basics'
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Scotland coach Duncan Hodge says that Scotland must get the basics right in order to beat Ireland in the Six Nations this weekend.

Duncan Hodge has said that Scotland must look at the basics as they prepare to face Ireland in the Six Nations this evening.

Both sides have taken one win and recorded a loss so far in the 2013 tournament, ahead of their meeting at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Scotland's coach told Sky Sports News: "We are trying to identify the key components of winning Test match rugby. A lot of the times we go back to possibly very basic things. The higher the level you go, the basics become even more important. That's been the common theme.

"We have got to make sure we get the basics right and we get possession and we are all individually doing our jobs so that we can give some of these guys the chance to show how good they are. We have been lucky so far that we have taken a couple of chances and scored a couple of tries.

"Ireland are a very direct side and they will come at us really hard. They have a great set of forwards and some world-class backs so they are a very good all-round team. We have got to respect Ireland, they are an incredibly good team."

Scotland are currently second in the Six Nations table, while Ireland sit fourth.

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