Ireland team unchanged for Scotland game

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has kept faith with the starting XV that beat England on their last outing in the Six Nations Championship for the trip to Murrayfield to play Scotland.

The only change to the match 22 is the inclusion of Eoin Reddan, who is named as the replacement scrumhalf following the unavailability of Isaac Boss due to a shoulder injury.

The team will be captained by Brian O’Driscoll for the 36th time and will therefore equal the record for captaining Ireland at international level, which is held by Keith Wood.

O'Sullivan said: ``We'll look at how Isaac gets on over the next week before making a decision if he is available for Italy.

“It’s an AC joint problem and we’re not being overly optimistic about the injury.

“It wasn’t the hardest team selection with only Boss’ injury to take account of.

“Reddan was an ever-present in the squad last season so we don’t lose anything by bringing him in.

“He’s a very smart footballer who reads the game very well. He picks, runs and keeps changing the landscape.”

O’Sullivan is expecting a difficult afternoon at Murrayfield where Scotland will be eager to atone for their 37-17 defeat by Italy.

He said: “It will be an intense game with no quarter asked or given. We’ll have to front up. It’s exactly as we’d expect.”

The Ireland team to play Scotland is: Dempsey, Horgan, B O’Driscoll, D’Arcy, Hickie, O’Gara, Stringer, Horan, R Best, Hayes, O’Callaghan, O’Connell, Easterby, D Wallace, Leamy

Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), S Best (Ulster), N Best (Ulster), M O’Driscoll (Munster), E Reddan (Wasps), P Wallace (Ulster), A Trimble (Ulster).