Horan Ruled Out of Scotland Game

Marcus Horan has been withdrawn from the Ireland team to play Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations Championship after picking up a calf strain during the Ireland Captains run this morning.

Having assessed the injury late this afternoon, the Ireland medical team have ruled him out of tomorrow's game and Horan will be reassessed after the weekend to ascertain if he will be fit to face Italy.

Simon Best moves to loosehead to start his first 6 Nations Championship match and Ulster prop Bryan Young has been called into the squad and has been named in the replacements.

Denis Hickie came through the training session this morning showing no reaction to the back spasm he suffered yesterday and will be monitored by the Ireland medical team over the next 24 hours. Geordan Murphy will remain with the squad as a precaution.

The Ireland team to play Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday, 10th March 2007 in Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh at 1.30pm is as follows:

15 Girvan Dempsey Terenure College/Leinster

14 Shane Horgan Lansdowne/Leinster

13 Brian O'Driscoll Captain Blackrock College/Leinster

12 Gordon D'Arcy Lansdowne/Leinster

11 Denis Hickie St Mary's College/Leinster

10 Ronan O'Gara Cork Constitution/Munster

9 Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster

1 Simon Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster

2 Rory Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster

3 John Hayes Bruff/Munster

4 Donncha O'Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster

5 Paul O'Connell Young Munster/Munster

6 Simon Easterby Llanelli

7 David Wallace Garryowen/Munster

8 Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster

Replacements:

16 Jerry Flannery Shannon/Munster

17 Bryan Young Ballymena/Ulster

18 Mick O'Driscoll Cork Constitution/Munster

19 Neil Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster

20 Eoin Reddan Wasps

21 Paddy Wallace Ballymena/Ulster

22 Andrew Trimble Ballymena/Ulster