Robinson Rings The Changes For Scotland
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has made seven changes in personnel and a further positional switch for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland at Murrayfield.
From the Scotland team that lost to Wales at Murrayfield, Hugo Southwell and Joe Ansbro had already been ruled out through injury.
Also omitted are half-backs Dan Parks and Rory Lawson, prop Euan Murray, lock Nathan Hines and number 8 Richie Vernon.
They are replaced respectively by Scotland’s most capped player Chris Paterson, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, who will be making his first start for Scotland as he wins his fourth cap, Mike Blair, Moray Low, Richie Gray and Johnnie Beattie.
Gray is back after missing the Wales game through illness, while his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Beattie has recovered from shoulder surgery.
Beattie scored Scotland’s only try scorer in their 23-23 win over Ireland at Croke Park last March.
The positional switch sees Nick De Luca move from inside to outside centre. On the replacements bench, Geoff Cross and Ulster’s Simon Danielli are involved in a Scotland matchday 22 for the first time this year.
Head coach Andy Robinson is urging his squad to ‘restore the pride in all Scotland supporters’ after the disappointing 24-6 defeat to Wales.
“We have made changes with a view to securing our first win of the competition and giving our supporters the lift that they deserve,” he said.
“We know that Ireland will bring their own distinct physicality and guile to Murrayfield on Sunday and it is up to our squad to front up to that challenge.
“We must play with belief and eliminate the mistakes which have bedevilled us in our opening two games and we must produce a performance that restores the pride in all Scotland supporters.”
SCOTLAND Team & Replacements (v Ireland, 2011 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Murrayfield, Sunday, February 27, kick-off 3pm):
15. Chris Paterson (Edinburgh)
14. Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
13. Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
12. Sean Lamont (Scarlets)
11. Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
10. Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh)
1. Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3. Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
4. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
5. Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) (capt)
6. Kelly Brown (Saracens)
7. John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)
8. Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)
Replacements:
16. Scott Lawson (Gloucester)
17. Geoff Cross (Edinburgh)
18. Nathan Hines (Leinster)
19. Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)
20. Rory Lawson (Gloucester)
21. Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues)
22. Simon Danielli (Ulster)