Ireland Team To Play Scotland

Both captain Brian O’Driscoll and his centre colleague Gordon D’Arcy have been ruled out of Ireland’s line-up for tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations clash with Scotland, due to hamstring injuries.

Coach Eddie O’Sullivan was forced to withdraw the Leinster duo – who limped out of Sunday’s 28-17 win over Italy – late, for the Celtic rivals’ fourth meeting in two years, following failed fitness tests.

That means there are three changes in all from the side which took to the field at the Stadio Flaminio last weekend. The initial one sees Wasps flanker Johnny O’Connor return for his third cap, taking the number seven jersey from Munster tyro Denis Leamy.

With O’Driscoll and D’Arcy unavailable, O’Sullivan has opted to switch Shane Horgan – originally named on the right wing – to midfield, and pair him with Ulster’s Kevin Maggs.

Girvan Dempsey takes over from Horgan in the number 14 jersey – with NEC Harlequins’ full-back Gavin Duffy – who debuted against South Africa last summer, for his only cap – moving up to the replacements.

Leinster second row Malcolm O’Kelly will chalk up his 70th cap at Murrayfield, and in doing so, surpasses the caps record of 69 – set by legendary centre Mike Gibson from 1964-1979.

Munster lock Paul O’Connell captains the side for the second time in twelve months. February 2004 saw him skipper Ireland to a 35-17 defeat to France in Paris.

The Ireland team to play Scotland in the RBS Six Nations in Murrayfield, Edinburgh on Saturday, February 12th at 16.00hrs, is as follows:

15 – Geordan Murphy
(Leicester), DOB 19/04/78, 27 Caps
14 – Girvan Dempsey
(Leinster – Terenure College), 02/10/75, 54 Caps
13 – Shane Horgan
(Leinster – Lansdowne), 18/07/78, 35 Caps
12 – Kevin Maggs
(Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), 03/06/1974, 66 Caps
11 – Denis Hickie
(Leinster – St. Mary’s College), 13/02/76, 47 Caps
10 – Ronan O’Gara
(Munster – Cork Constitution), 07/03/77, 48 Caps
9 – Peter Stringer
(Munster – Shannon), 13/12/77, 52 Caps
1 – Reggie Corrigan
(Leinster – Greystones), 19/11/70, 40 Caps
2 – Shane Byrne
(Leinster – Blackrock College), 18/07/71, 34 Caps
3 – John Hayes
(Munster – Bruff), 02/11/73, 50 Caps
4 – Malcolm O’Kelly
(Leinster – St. Mary’s College), 19/07/74, 69 Caps
5 – Paul O’Connell
(Munster – Young Munster), 20/10/79, 25 Caps (Captain)
6 – Simon Easterby
(Llanelli), 21/07/75, 38 Caps
7 – Johnny O’Connor
(Wasps), 09/06/82, 2 Caps
8 – Anthony Foley
(Munster – Shannon), 30/10/73, 58 Caps

Replacements:
16 – Frank Sheahan

(Munster – Cork Constitution), 27/08/76, 20 Caps
17 – Marcus Horan
(Munster – Shannon), 07/09/77, 24 Caps
18 – Donncha O’Callaghan
(Munster – Cork Constitution), 23/03/79, 14 Caps
19 – Eric Miller
(Leinster – Terenure College), 23/9/75, 43 Caps
20 – Guy Easterby
(Leinster – Blackrock College), 21/03/71, 27 Caps
21 – David Humphreys
(Ulster – Dungannon), 10/09/71, 65 Caps
22 – Gavin Duffy
(NEC Harlequins), 18/09/1981, 1 cap

Not considered due to injury: Keith Gleeson (Leinster – St. Mary’s College) {Leg}, Neil McMillan (Ulster – Ballymena) {knee}.