Scotland have made three modifications to their facet for the go to of champions Eire to Murrayfield on Sunday, with Tom Jordan drafted in at inside centre, Jack Dempsey at No. 8 and Rory Sutherland into the front-row.
Scotland beat Italy 31-19 of their event opener, however coach Gregor Townsend has beefed up his pack for Eire, who’ve received the final 10 conferences between the 2 sides.
“It is going to be a really bodily recreation,” Townsend mentioned. “The cohesion they [Ireland] have of their squad, with gamers which have received lots of caps collectively and play collectively at membership degree, means the crew is stuffed with skilled gamers.”
Sutherland joins fellow prop Zander Fagerson and hooker Dave Cherry within the front-row, whereas the lock pairing is unchanged with Jonny Grey and Grant Gilchrist to go once more.
“Rory has been competing laborious with Pierre (Schoeman) for a beginning place. He has been in nice type this yr and is in peak bodily form,” Townsend mentioned.
Dempsey will type a again row with flankers Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge. Jamie Ritchie drops to the bench to accommodate him within the facet, with Fagerson shifting from quantity eight to the flank.
The one change to the backline sees Jordan companion final weekend’s hat trick hero Huw Jones within the midfield, with fly-half Finn Russell alongside quantity 9 Ben White.
“Tom made affect [against Italy], I believed he known as for the ball so much and was actually aggressive in defence,” Townsend mentioned.
“It was a very good follow-up from what he had achieved for us in November.”
Fullback Blair Kinghorn, and wings Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham, mix to make up the again three.
Townsend has chosen a 6-2 break up between forwards and backs on the bench, with Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman and Will Hurd the entrance row replacements.
Scotland
Rory Sutherland, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson, Jonny Grey, Grant Gilchrist, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (co-captain), Jack Dempsey, Ben White, Finn Russell (co-captain), Duhan van der Merwe, Tom Jordan, Huw Jones, Darcy Graham, Blair Kinghorn.
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Pierre Schoeman, Will Hurd, Sam Skinner, Gregor Brown, Jamie Ritchie, Jamie Dobie, Stafford McDowall.
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Eire win back-to-back Six Nations titles
Relive three traditional Six Nations video games between Scotland and Eire forward of their conflict at Murrayfield this weekend.
– Tom Hamilton’s evaluation from Dublin: One other painful case of déjà vu for England
– James Regan’s take from Paris: Antoine Dupont produces virtuoso show
– NEWS: England winger Cadan Murley dominated out of France conflict
– WATCH: Is Eire’s Caelan Doris nailed on to be Lions captain?
– Six Nations and Ladies’s Six Nations: Full fixture record
