Ireland have announced their team to face Scotland in their RBS 6 Nations 2011 rugby union clash at Murrayfield on Sunday 27th February 2011.
Coach Declan Kidney has selected his starting XV and seven replacements to face Andy Robinson’s Scotland in Edinburgh.
A huge lift for Ireland will be the return of flying winger, Tommy Bowe, who has recovered from the knee injury which kept him out of the opening two RBS 6 Nations 2011 fixtures. He replaces Fergus McFadden.
Ronan O’Gara has worked himself into a starting position, ahead of Jonathan Sexton, who will start Sunday’s match on the bench.
Peter Stringer rejoins the Irish squad on the bench, and Eoin Reddan is promoted to the number nine shirt to replace Tomas O’Leary, who has failed to recover from a back injury.
Brian O’Driscoll will captain Ireland for the 73rd time.
Ireland Starting XV (Scotland v Ireland, RBS 6 Nations 2011)
- 15 – Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
- 14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
- 13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
- 12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
- 11 – Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
- 10 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
- 9 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
- 1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
- 2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
- 3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
- 4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
- 5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
- 6 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
- 7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
- 8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Ireland Replacements:
- 16 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
- 17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
- 18 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
- 19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
- 20 – Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
- 21 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
- 22 – Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Scotland v Ireland kicks-off at 15:00 GMT on Sunday 27th February 2011, at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.