Scotland team to face Ireland on Saturday in Dublin
Mike Blair will captain Scotland at Croke Park, and his half-back partner will be Chris Paterson, with Dan parks moving to the bench. Edinburgh captain Allister Hogg is now in the open-side position and Alasdair Strokosch will start his first Test at blind-side flanker with Scott MacLeod replacing Jim Hamilton at lock. Kelly Brown of Glasgow Warriors comes in to replace John Barclay following his fluke injury. Paterson’s place on the wing is taken by Sale’s Rory Lamont, who returns after missing the Wales match with injuries to his shoulder and ankle. The other change is Nick De Luca dropping to the bench for the returning Simon Webster at outside centre.
Team
backs: Southwell (Edinburgh); Walker (Ospreys), Webster (Edinburgh), Henderson (Glasgow), R Lamont (Sale); Paterson (Gloucester), Blair (Edinburgh, capt).
Forwards: Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), Hines (Perpignan), MacLeod (Scarlets), Strokosch (Gloucester), Hogg (Edinburgh), Brown (Glasgow).
Replacements: F Thomson (Glasgow), Kerr (Edinburgh), Hamilton (Leicester), Rennie (Edinburgh), Cusiter (Perpignan), Parks (Glasgow), De Luca (Edinburgh).
