DECLAN Kidney has named an unchanged side for Ireland’s final RBS Six Nations Battle and Triple Crown decider against Scotland on Saturday (5pm).
Fittingly for the final game in Croke Park the match will mark a 70th Ireland cap for Limerick giant of rugby, Paul O’Connell who led Ireland out for the first rugby international there against France in 2007.
Keith Earls and centre Gordon D’Arcy have been included in the starting XV as both continue to recover from knocks received in the side’s win over Wales last weekend. However, D’Arcy will be monitored in training and a final decision made on Friday as to his fitness.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday March 20th,5 p.m.)
15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Capt.)
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16 – Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 – Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 – Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
