Top dog Henry to lead Ireland Wolfhounds against Scots

ULSTER back rower Chris Henry has been handed a chance to build on an eye-catching cameo showing by being named as skipper of the Ireland Wolfhounds team to take on Scotland A at Ravenhill tomorrow (7.30pm).

Henry scored a try and showed up prominently in the loose after coming on as a replacement in the final 10 minutes of the 17-13 defeat to England Saxons in Bath.

He starts at number eight this time around, and will skipper a side that shows seven changes from that defeat.

His provincial colleague Ian Humphreys – who also came into the fray late on against the Saxons, but produced a far patchier performance – gets a chance for redemption after being named at fly-half.

Munster scrum-half Peter Stringer hangs on to the number nine shirt, despite arguably being outshone by Isaac Boss last time out.

New Munster signing Johne Murphy, who will join Tony McGahan’s side from Leicester Tigers at the end of the season, is named on the wing after being ruled out of the Saxons clash due to club action.

Darren Cave and Fergus McFadden form the midfield partnership, while in the pack, Sean Cronin starts at hooker and Ryan Caldwell links up with Devin Toner in the second row.

With Sean O’Brien named in the replacements for the senior team, Dan Tuohy is named on the blindside with Shane Jennings moving to openside flanker.

Meanwhile, Scotland A head coach Sean Lineen has urged his players to seize their opportunity to showcase their skills during tomorrow’s clash.

Lineen has selected an experienced starting line-up, containing 206 senior caps , which includes British and Irish Lions pair Mike Blair and Euan Murray.

Lineen believes the fixture provides the perfect platform for players on the periphery of Andy Robinson’s RBS Six Nations squad to prove a timely point.

“The players have all bought into what we are trying to achieve and they realise this is a stepping stone towards playing for Scotland in the Six Nations,” he said.

SCOTLAND A: J Thompson (Edinburgh); N Walker (Ospreys), B Cairns (Edinburgh), N De Luca (Edinburgh), S Danielli (Ulster); R Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), M Blair (Edinburgh, capt); J Welsh (Glasgow Warriors), D Hall (Glasgow Warriors), E Murray (Northampton Saints); S MacLeod (Edinburgh), J Hamilton (Edinburgh); J Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), S Gray (Northampton Saints), R Grant (Edinburgh).

Replacements: A Kelly (Edinburgh), K Traynor (Edinburgh), C Hamilton (Edinburgh), F McKenzie (Edinburgh), G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), R Dewey (Glasgow Warriors), J Houston (Edinburgh).