The hosts started brightly and scored a try through Hugo Southwell but Ireland hit back with Malcolm OKelly, Paul OConnell and Denis Hickie making the game safe for the visitors.

John Hayes and Gavin Duffy crossed late on to rub salt in the Scottish wounds and left Williams still searching for his first RBS 6 Nations win after seven attempts.

He said: Im very relaxed with how we are. Im not worried about my team and am absolutely not considering my position.

When we came in we looked around and said it would take 12 to 18 months to turn it round. We said in that time there would be some good results and some bad ones.

Thats where we are at the moment. We lack consistency and the last two weeks show that perfectly.

We put in a great effort over 80 minutes in Paris and then weve not played well here today just seven days later.

Im here for the long haul, Im here for four years.

Williams, who joked that every coach doubts his own ability five minutes before every game, believes consistency and concentration are the two aspects of the game his team must strive for.

The Australian said: When you come up against someone like Ireland, if you make mistakes you will be punished.

Silly mistakes like simple dropped catches are letting us down. That, and a lack of concentration at times.

I felt we occasionally lacked concentration in maul situations. At times we stopped them well but other times we allowed them to get going.

Williams also believes his team could have followed the game plan more strictly but was encouraged by their enthusiasm.

He said: I think the fans will be able to see that we were trying right to the end. In fact their last try was down to us trying to run it at them.