This game comes top-heavy with pressure and tension rather than any frisson of excitement at what might be produced at Murrayfield today.
fter all, both combatants meet seeking a second Six Nations victory - albeit that Scotland have played only twice due to Covid's presence in the France squad - with one appearing particularly twitchy about their situation and the other reckoning that just keeping their nerve will be sufficient to prevail.
And, yes, Ireland are the twitchy ones despite the fact they have regularly turned Scotland over since 2014.
Even though Andy Farrell has been in charge for two of Ireland's nine wins from 10 meetings with the Scots, there is little in the way of assurance that the run is ready to continue.
True, Italy were swatted aside last time out but no one can view that as a corner-turning moment for this Irish side.
Farrell's selection provides another clue of the mindset going into this clash.
The coach's innate conservatism is all over today's side with structure and experience being major influences and, undoubtedly, impacting on the game plan.
Ronan Kelleher's dynamism has been replaced by the steadier Rob Herring while Dave Kilcoyne's energetic carrying has still resulted in Cian Healy being rolled out once again.
Keith Earls too has been brought back to the starting side instead of Jordan Larmour's defence-shredding stepping skills.
In fairness, though, Farrell is putting his trust in Herring's lineout throwing, Healy's scrummaging and Earls' ability to defend and effectively kick-chase. So, yes, it's conservative but there is also pragmatism.
And that's also part of the problem as Ireland have simply been too pragmatic and far too over-reliant on Johnny Sexton. The skipper did look sharp in Rome but then that hardly prepares anyone for the full-on Test environment and should Ireland lose him again to injury, or he has a bad day at the office, then there really doesn't appear to be a Plan B.
Ireland will pound away on the gain-line, using CJ Stander and James Ryan, kick for the corners and hope Herring and Iain Henderson can run a sound lineout, launch bombs for Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and James Lowe to chase and then bring on Conor Murray - you have to feel for promising youngster Craig Casey losing his bench place - to launch more of the aerial stuff.
The Scots know what's coming - and said as much in last week's build-up - with the key battleground being the breakdown work of Hamish Watson and Jamie Ritchie versus that of Will Connors and Tadhg Beirne.
The Scots, naturally, also relish structure but if they can negate Ireland's expected game plan - though Farrell has made it clear that his bench will apparently add dynamism - then they have the personnel to attack with venomous width and pace.
Simply preventing Finn Russell, Stuart Hogg et al from cutting loose is a big ask and, as such, come late this afternoon, a fifth-place finish in the table will be looking ever more likely for Ireland.