Rory Best has won his fitness battle to captain Ireland in Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Scotland. The Ulster hooker has shaken off a calf niggle in time for Ireland’s final battle of the tournament as they seek to salvage a third-place finish from a frustrating, injury-hit campaign.
Tommy O’Donnell has been preferred to Leinster’s Josh van der Flier at openside in Ireland’s only change, with the head coach, Joe Schmidt, mindful of countering Scotland’s impressive breakdown work.
Simon Zebo starts at full-back as expected with Rob Kearney again sidelined with hamstring trouble, while Keith Earls will win his 50th cap on the left wing.
Ireland, the defending champions, surrendered their title by drawing with Wales and losing in France and England, so are now bidding to finish with something of a flourish.
Best’s recovery from calf trouble should ensure a steady scrum, though Ireland are sufficiently concerned about Scotland’s set-piece to select the big-scrummaging Richardt Strauss on the bench ahead of Sean Cronin.
Leinster’s fast-developing flanker Van der Flier has proved his Test potential, seizing on Ireland’s raft of back-row injuries during this tournament.
Ireland are desperate to end their campaign with a second victory, however, leaving Schmidt refusing to take any chances, and restoring the 28-year-old O’Donnell to his starting back-row cordon.
Connacht’s talented 22-year-old lock Ultan Dillane has another chance to impress off the bench, while the fit-again Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan are restored to the replacements after missing last weekend’s rout of Italy. Schmidt admitted Van der Flier would have been fit for selection, but was carrying several minor injury complaints.
The Munster flanker O’Donnell missed the World Cup with a dislocated hip, but has battled back to full fitness and form, and now Schmidt believes he can make a big impact this weekend.
“Josh has shipped a couple of knocks in the last two games, and he got a bump in training on Monday,� said Schmidt. “I think they’ve been pretty attritional for Josh going back to back in his first two Test matches.
“He would be fit to play but at the same time is carrying a few knocks. Conversely Tommy has trained incredibly well. He hasn’t had the luckiest of preparations with us in previous times. And we’re looking forward to contributing a really athletic, combative performance this weekend.
“It’s bumps and bruises, he’s involved himself a lot, his contact work has been high so we just felt it was pertinent to give him a rest and give Tommy an opportunity.
“We’ve tried to balance opportunity with continuity across the course of the Six Nations and we hope that will bear fruit in future. Rory Best trained fully today too, and showed no ill effects of the tight calf that he had on Monday.�
Ireland team to play Scotland, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 5pm GMT Saturday
S Zebo (Munster), A Trimble (Ulster), J Payne (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), K Earls (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster); J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster), CJ Stander (Ulster), T O’Donnell (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements R Strauss (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), N White (Connacht), U Dillane (Connacht), R Ruddock (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster).
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