Scotland coach Vern Cotter has told his players that they have to be "smarter" after going winless throughout this year's Six Nations.

The Dark Blues made it five straight defeats by going down 40-10 at home to Ireland on the last day of the tournament.

Cotter said in his post-match press conference that Ireland's punishment of their errors made it brutally clear what needed to be addressed.

The New Zealander said: "We conceded far too many turnovers - 24 - and we only had 30% possession in the second half. It was always going to be difficult with those stats.

"The way we played in periods have to be longer periods in the future. We need to keep developing and get a mindset, and our mindset has to be to build games and not let teams get in front so we play catch-up rugby.

"We've got to take silly errors out of our game, going into touch and learn to keep the ball and apply pressure. These are things that were brought home with brutal clarity today."

Scotland failed to score in the second half and were not helped by Geoff Cross going into the sin bin.

"We got a yellow card and we conceded 12 penalties, they conceded six," added Cotter. "I think that was obviously one of the reasons we didn't get field position in the second half - penalties and yellow cards.

"We need to be smarter in that part of the game."

Ireland's 30-point victory saw them dramatically clinch the title on points difference after England were only able to beat France by 20 points in the day's third and final game.