It promises to be an eventful final Saturday in the RBS 6 Nations as scoring difference is set to decide the winners of the title once again. Ireland, playing in the day’s middle match, need to get a win over Scotland, boost their points tally and hope that other results go their way.
2015 RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Saturday, March 21
SCOTLAND (6th) v IRELAND (2nd), BT Murrayfield, 2.30pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC One/RTÉ Radio 1/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has made two changes to the team for the final game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship against Scotland at BT Murrayfield.
Luke Fitzgerald replaces Simon Zebo on the left wing and Cian Healy, who made his 50th Ireland appearance against Wales, comes in for Jack McGrath at loosehead prop.
Captain Paul O’Connell continues his second row partnership with Devin Toner with Healy’s inclusion the only change to the front five as both Mike Ross and Rory Best are retained. The back row is unchanged with number 8 Jamie Heaslip flanked by Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien.
Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton are paired at half-back once more and the centre combination of Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne link up for the sixth time in midfield.
The recalled Fitzgerald, who will start for the first time since the 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-up game against France in Bordeaux, joins Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe in the back-three.
McGrath takes a spot on the replacements bench which also includes Sean Cronin, Martin Moore, Iain Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan and Felix Jones.
Commenting on the changes, Schmidt said: “Probably with Simon (Zebo), he started the last nine Test matches for us and he’s played throughout the Six Nations for us and he’s just showing signs of wear and tear. He’s got a few niggles.
“We just wanted to have somebody that’s at 100% (Fitzgerald), as opposed to someone who has fitted in really well, has worked incredibly hard on their game, but is just starting to show those signs of wear and tear.
“It’s a little bit the same with Jack (McGrath). I think Jack has been superb for us, but it’s an opportunity for Cian probably as much as anything to have a little more training time with the team.
“I think if you’re forever coming off the bench, you don’t get as much time in the team and so just for Cian to get comfortable in the week because he and Jack have shared a bit of time in the last two matches anyway.”
Meanwhile, Scotland boss Vern Cotter has promoted players from the replacements bench, with Adam Ashe starting at blindside flanker in place of Robert Harley, and Ryan Grant switching roles with Alasdair Dickinson for his first start of the Championship.
The unchanged back-line sees captain Greig Laidlaw partnering out-half Finn Russell in front of Glasgow Warriors trio Mark Bennett, Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour, and Edinburgh duo Matt Scott and Dougie Fife, the latter making his home debut.
In the pack, tighthead Euan Murray makes history, alongside Ross Ford and Grant, overtaking Allan Jacobsen’s record as the most-capped Scotland prop with his 66th appearance.
Jonny Gray and Jim Hamilton will again start together in the second row, with David Denton and Blair Cowan returning to the back row, the latter one of six Scotland players to hold a starting spot in every match of this year’s tournament, as well as Bennett, Ford, Gray, Hogg and Laidlaw.
The only other squad change is among the replacements where Tim Visser replaces Johnnie Beattie, reverting the selection to a five-three split among the reserve forwards and backs.
SCOTLAND: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); Dougie Fife (Edinburgh), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors); Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester) (capt); Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Geoff Cross (London Irish), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh), Tim Visser (Edinburgh).
IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jared Payne (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster).
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Assistant Referees: Pascal Gauzere (France), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Scotland to win: 3/1; Draw: 22/1; Ireland to win: 1/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Paul O’Connell (Ireland) – “There hasn’t been a change in mood really. We just addressed the Wales game and some of the shortcomings we had from it and we started preparing for Scotland. It was disappointing to lose against Wales, but we’ve all lost big games before and we all know what you have to do. You have to address it, you’ve to try and fix what went wrong, and move on.
“It’s kind of like Heineken Cup or Champions Cup, where it’s a dangerous place to go to start thinking about anything but winning the game. You’ll have a plan going into a game of how to beat a team and you’ll be trying to execute that as well as you can.
“That’s all we’ve spoken about, that’s all we’ve addressed. Our big focus is starting the game well, starting the game in a disciplined fashion and getting ourselves off on the right foot. It’s the same as if we were coming over looking for a one-point win. That’s all you can do, whatever happens happens.
“I’ve played against teams coached by Vern Cotter for a few years and they’re excellent sides. I don’t think Scotland been ‘well beaten’ in any of their games so far, I think they were very unlucky not to get some results.
“No team has pulled away from them, every game has been really tight even going back to the New Zealand game (in November), those autumn games. The same with us last year, it was very close around half-time, we were 6-3 up and we managed to pull away.
“I am surprised (they have lost four on the bounce) and we have a lot of respect for them. A big spine of the team is the Glasgow team, which has been so consistent over the last number of years, incredibly difficult to beat, especially over here.”
Greig Laidlaw (Scotland) – “As players (finishing bottom) is certainly not what we set out to do. But we have an opportunity this weekend to make sure we (don’t end up with the Wooden Spoon). That’s all we can do this year unfortunately. We will go out there and give absolutely everything to try and avoid (another defeat).
“It’s a huge game for us but I know the boys are absolutely desperate to get out there, put in a good performance and come away with a win. If we get a win here it gives us some momentum going forward to the World Cup and the four warm-up games.
“Vern is an honest bloke – he doesn’t miss when he swings. He’s been honest but he’s been good too. He’s a clever coach and the boys appreciate that. The boys don’t mind being told. We watched the (England) game back and they saw themselves some of the flaws and that makes us frustrated.
“Looking back to the 2013 game with Ireland, we just did little things well to stay in the game. That will be the key again this weekend. We need to get into their half, hold the ball, win penalties, then get the scoreboard ticking over. Get three points, six points, maybe then a try. Once you start playing in their half, the game becomes so much easier.”
Pre-Match Links –
Head-To-Head: Ireland v Scotland
Ireland v Scotland: Facts & Figures
I’ve Worked Hard And I’m Delighted To Get The Opportunity – Fitzgerald
Toner: Our Main Focus Is Trying To Get The Win
Ross: Scotland Are A Tough Team To Get Away From
Recent Meetings –
2012: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 32 Scotland 14, Aviva Stadium
2013: RBS 6 Nations: Scotland 12 Ireland 8, Murrayfield
2014: RBS 6 Nations: Ireland 28 Scotland 6, Aviva Stadium
Support Ireland on www.irishrugby.ie/facebook or search #ShouldertoShoulder or #SCOvIRL on www.twitter.com/irishrugby.
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