O'Brien and Baloucoune double act would make sense against Scotland

Ireland face Scotland on Saturday with the Triple Crown and a possible Six Nations title on the line

THREAT: Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune won his seventh Ireland cap against Wales. Pic: ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

Tom O’Toole looks set to extend his loosehead prop experience with Ireland this Saturday after injury ruled out Jeremy Loughman from the Guinness Six Nations Triple Crown decider against Scotland but Andy Farrell faces several big selection calls ahead of Thursday’s team announcement.

Ireland’s head coach has tinkered with his matchday squads throughout the 2026 championship, using 33 players across the first four rounds but with silverware on the line on Super Saturday there must be a temptation to return to at least the core of starting line-up which produced his team’s best rugby of the competition at Twickenham in round three.

England were put to the sword on their home turf on February 21, unable to find a way through a rock-solid defence until it was too late, after an irresistible, high-tempo Irish attack scored 22 points without reply inside the first 29 minutes.

James Lowe started that game but the groin injury he sustained after 18 minutes ruled the left wing out of the remaining two matches. Jacob Stockdale was handed the number 11 jersey to face Wales last Friday night and scored the opening try of the 27-17 victory but it is Tommy O’Brien, Lowe’s replacement at Twickenham, who arguably offers a more potent threat to the Scots. Stockdale was a more like for like replacement for the left-booted Lowe but handing O’Brien a start on his less familiar flank reignites his partnership with fellow wing Rob Baloucoune.

It was a double act which caused England problems throughout, the pair combining on the Baloucoune’s right wing to break into the 22 in the build-up to Jamison Gibson-Park’s opening try. Baloucoune, who had scored on 26 minutes, provided the assist for O’Brien’s try on the left wing three minutes later and midway through the second half the duo teamed up in defence to deny Tommy Freeman a try as the replacement made the tackle and the starter tracked across from edge to edge to bundle the Englishman into touch.

Both wings have genuine pace and that will be needed against Scotland’s duo of Darcy Graham and Kyle Steyn, who caused havoc in France’s defence at Murrayfield last Saturday, each of them scoring two tries in a famous 50-40 triumph which brings this Aviva Stadium clash into the title shake-up, should the French lose to England in the final match of the day.

Scotland’s injury update issued on Monday made for sobering reading so soon after their thrilling victory gave them a shot at ending their Six Nations silverware drought. The last time a Scotsman got his hands on the Triple Crown was 1990, when they won the Five Nations Grand Slam and if Sione Tuipulotu is to emulate his predecessor of 36 years ago David Sole, Gregor Townsend’s team are going to have to do it without their starting second row from the weekend, Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings, both of whom were ruled out through injuries, as was wing Duhan van der Merwe.

Back in the Ireland camp, Loughman’s place in the squad has been given to uncapped and inexperienced Connacht prop Billy Bohan, who was recalled on Monday.

Uncapped Bohan was a surprise call-up in Farrell’s initial squad for the championship at the end of January as Ireland were forced to delve deep into the loosehead prop resources with Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle all ruled out through injury.

Munster looseheads Loughman and Milne were selected ahead of 20-year-old Bohan for the opening round, and Tom O’Toole's move from tighthead to the other side of the front row also conspired against the Connacht rookie.

O’Toole started against Wales last Friday with Loughman having succumbed to a calf problem and his omission for this weekend's final-round fixture has paved the way for Bohan's recall.

Munster’s uncapped back-rower Brian Gleeson has also been brought into camp as a training player for the week while Ireland have released Cormac Izuchukwu, Jude Postlethwaite and Bryn Ward back to Ulster for their province’s rescheduled URC clash at Edinburgh on Friday night.

There remains a healthy Ulster contingent in the Irish set-up, with seven from the northern province included in the matchday 23 which faced Wales. In addition to Baloucoune, Stockdale and O’Toole, Stuart McCloskey continued his fine form at inside centre while Nick Timoney enhanced his reputation at openside flanker in his first Six Nations start. Hooker Tom Stewart made his championship debut off the bench and scrum-half Nathan Doak looked assured on his Ireland debut as Gibson-Park’s replacement. 

With Dan Sheehan likely to return from a weekend off to compete with fellow British & Irish Lion Ronan Kelleher for the starting spot at hooker, and Gibson-Park’s regular back-up scrum-half Craig Casey also watching from the stands last Friday night, Farrell will be delighted his campaign has continued to broaden his squad’s experience, having also handed a Test debut to Munster lock Edwin Edogbo, off the bench against Italy, in addition to numerous Six Nations debuts.

At the tail end of the championship with at least one trophy still within reach, Farrell may well revert to the tried and tested for this intriguing finale against a Scotland side travelling to Dublin with their tails up and eyeing a first win over Ireland since 2017 that will end a 16-year wait for victory in the Irish capital.

The Ireland head coach will reveal his team on Thursday afternoon.