Ali Price refutes claims occasion got to Scotland in Ireland loss

Ali Price admitted Scotland’s World Cup agony will be hard to process because they will not get a chance to prove themselves at the tournament for another four years.

The Scots were dejected as they bowed out of the global showpiece in France at the pool stage after a heavy defeat at the hands of rampant Ireland on Saturday night.

“As a team we wanted to do better for everyone at home,” said scrum-half Price, who will be 34 by the time of the next World Cup in Australia in 2027. “We’re just as disappointed as everyone.

“It’s tough because it’s a World Cup and you don’t get another shot at it for a long time. All we can do is take it on the chin and when we’re next together take the learnings we can from it and build again. That’s the tough part.”

Scotland needed a big win over Ireland on Saturday to qualify for the quarter-finals but that prospect seemed slim from the moment the world’s number one side got themselves ahead after just 63 seconds.

Price insisted his side were not overwhelmed by the size of the occasion in a packed Stade de France, although he admitted the Irish were simply too good on the night.

“We had a good week and we’d built throughout the tournament and everyone was excited for the occasion and what it meant for all of us and everyone at home so we’re incredibly disappointed,” said the Glasgow scrum-half. “It wasn’t the script we wanted.

“I don’t think the occasion got to us. I think it was a case of us not making the most of the opportunities we had, mixed with Ireland taking their chances pretty convincingly, especially in the first half.

“I think Ireland showed at times in the first half why they’re the number one team in the world, and we’re not quite there yet.

“We had territory and two or three opportunities where we went through the phases around their 22 but we came away with nothing. It was an uphill battle really.

“The second half was obviously a lot better but – let’s be realistic – the game was done by then.”