Ireland vs Scotland

Ireland v Scotland

Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Sunday, 2 Feb 2014
Kick-off: 15:00

Referee: Craig Joubert (SARU)
Assistant referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant referee: Mike Fraser (NZR)
TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)

A. Squads

1. Ireland

Backs:
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster), Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster), Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster), Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster), David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster), Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster), Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) *, Luke Marshall (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Forwards:
Rodney Ah You (Buccaneers/Connacht) *, Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues) *, Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) *, Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *, David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster) *, Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) *, Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)

* Uncapped player

2. Scotland

Forwards:
John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

Backs:
Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

B. Head To Head

127 Played 127
57 Wins 65
65 Losses 57
5 Draws 5
203 Tries 210
104 Conversions 109
111 Penalties 131
17 Drop Goals 38
1,344 Points 1,303

C. Recent Form

24 February 2013
Scotland 12–8 Ireland

10 March 2012
Ireland 32–14  Scotland

27 February 2011
Scotland 18–21  Ireland

D. Teams

1. Ireland



15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 49
14. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 2
13. Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) 128
12. Luke Marshall (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 4
11. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 50
10. Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92) 38
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 22
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 42
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 70
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 34
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 10
5. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt) 88
6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 19
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 9
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 60

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 30
17. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 3
18. Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
19. Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster) 7
20. Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 2
21. Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster) 17
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 5
23. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 21

* Denotes uncapped player

2. Scotland




15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 15 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
14 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps, 1 try, 5 points
13 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Duncan Taylor (Saracens) 6 caps
11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 82 caps, 12 tries, 60 points
10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps, 1 try, 2 conversions, 9 points
9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 24 caps, 3 tries, 23 conversions, 54 penalties, 223 points
1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 71 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 23 caps
4 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
5 Jim Hamilton (Montpellier) 50 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps
7 Kelly Brown (Saracens) CAPTAIN 60 caps, 4 tries, 20 points
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) 17 caps

Replacements:

16 Pat MacArthur (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) 30 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
18 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby) 23 caps, 1 try, 5 points
19 Richie Gray (Castres) 33 caps, 1 try, 5 points
20 Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier) 26 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 64 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
22 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 16 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
23 Max Evans (Castres) 37 caps, 3 tries, 15 points

I'm getting very excited for this I gotta say. Beginning to buzz big time.

Really hope we get to see young props McGrath and Moore at some point and that the back 5 of our pack are a wee bit more balanced.

In the backs I'm hoping Fitzgerald shows his impressive form and gets on the score sheet to get him really believing he can be a try scorer.


I suppose my wishlist would be

-a win
-no injuries
-a good/great performance
-game time for some of our back up players

GC, do you know which regulars are injured and not available?

GC, today Ireland will be trimming down their squad to 32 players. Should give us a better idea of the pecking order   

who do you reckon is gonna get the chop Notch?

Biltong wrote:GC, do you know which regulars are injured and not available?

On the Scotland side, Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) and Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) are officially listed as out. Visser and Horne are big losses, for obvious reasons. Thankfully, unlike in previous years where we'd be asking random people in the car park to pull on the shirt, we now have quality replacements like Tommy Seymour and Alex Dunbar.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:who do you reckon is gonna get the chop Notch?

David Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Rob Herring, Damien Varley, Dan Tuohy (annoyed about that), Robbie Diack, Kieran Marmion, Isaac Boss, Ian Keatley, Darren Cave, Craig Gilroy, Fergus McFadden (surprise one?), Felix Jones

I think it'll be;

Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, Mike Ross, Martin Moore, Rodney Ah You
Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Richardt Strauss
Paul O'Connell, Mike McCarthy, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson,
Peter O'Mahony, Rhys Ruddock, Chris Henry, Tommy O'Donnell, Jamie Heaslip, Robin Copeland
Conor Murray, Eoin Reddan
Johnny Sexton, Paddy Jackson, Ian Madigan
Luke Marshall, Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll, Robbie Henshaw
Luke Fitzgerald, Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble, Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney

I think I'd like to see Tuohy in the squad maybe ahead of McCarthy.

Would prefer Marmion to be in the squad too.

I agree with the squad as a whole. T-minus 6hours until it really kicks off

Joubert!!   

Actually, I'm trying to think of a ref that doesn't give me that reaction....

This is a great opportunity to select 32 and enforce the discipline of staying within that group along the same lines the RWC squad will have to be managed.

3 LH - Healy, McGrath, Kilcoyne
3 Hookers - Best, Cronin, Strauss
3 TH - Ross, Moore, Archer
4 Locks - POC, Tuohy, Toner, Henderson
5 Backrow - POM, Henry, Heaslip, TOD, Copeland
3 SH - Murray, Reddan, Marmion
3 FH - Sexton, Jackson, Madigan
4 Centres - BOD, D'Arcy, Marshall, Henshaw
4 Backthree - Fitzgerald, Zebo, DKearney, RKearney

Might as well ask on this thread as any other - will we ever see Stephen Ferris on an international rugby pitch ever again?

Can't see it being anytime soon.

A fully fit Ferris and SOB in the same backrow is a frightening prospect!

Stephen Ferris has just this week resumed pitch training with Ulster. He could be back playing provincial rugby before the end of the Six Nations.

That s the plan Notch thats the plan

RDW_Scotland wrote:Can't see it being anytime soon.

A fully fit Ferris and SOB in the same backrow is a frightening prospect!

Makes you wonder just how much talent did the Kidney years waste, exactly?

When did Ferris last play for Ireland? I am assuming it was a while ago when SoB was just breaking on to the scene. SoB is a seasoned internationalist and word class player now.

RDW_Scotland wrote:When did Ferris last play for Ireland? I am assuming it was a while ago when SoB was just breaking on to the scene.  SoB is a seasoned internationalist and word class player now.

I don't know, but we had both players in a settled back row together for the Rugby World Cup campaign in 2011.

Pretty excited for this one, and I'm pretty excited about this post... 1st for about 16 days?

Missed this place.

Poor Scotland coming into play Ireland who's provinces have been on fire and a team who will be pretty miffed at how the All Blacks done them over in th Autumn.

Could be a horror show in Dublin on Sunday.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Pretty excited for this one, and I'm pretty excited about this post... 1st for about 16 days?

Missed this place.

Poor Scotland coming into play Ireland who's provinces have been on fire and a team who will be pretty miffed at how the All Blacks done them over in th Autumn.

Could be a horror show in Dublin on Sunday.

All I am hoping for is that it is not a whitewash.

Let's hope Joubert adjudicates the scrums better than last year's match against Wales.

Extremely difficult challenge for Scotland first up. They must take a leaf out of the Irish against NZ and take the game to Ireland. They can't rely on hoping Ireland makes mistakes on which they can capitalise. They have to force those errors and try to stretch the Irish defensive line playing smart rugby. That doesn't mean fling it about like their tackle when they run in a kilt. It means wearing them down up front and moving the ball to where there is space. Wales last year was anti-rugby at its worst. The Ireland match was the Greatest Escape because Ireland should've won by a canter. Scotland will never be as lucky again. They must be proactive and look to attack Ireland. You can't play Tupperware rugby where you seek to only contain the opposition. You must break the hermetic seal and unlock the rugby freshness that lies within.

Craig Joubert!!!! We're finished.

He absolutely destroyed Scotland last year against Wales. Record number of penalties for a 6 Nations match if I recall - totally ruined the match.

The weather will play a part here, and I'm told to expect rain. That might influence SJ as well, who could look to use Jim Hamilton combined with a heavy back row and stick Duncan "kick kick kick" Weir at 10.

I have no doubt on a fast surface and in good conditions the Irish could rack up a cricket score, so we need to play smart, and avoid the sluggish start we usually go for. We need to watch those pacy wrap around moved that Schmidt so loves, and be prepared to defend ruthlessly in those wide channels. That's where we've really struggled in the last 12 months, and that's where Schmidt likes to target teams.

I expect a similar scoreline to the last game against Ireland at the Aviva.

George Carlin wrote:Might as well ask on this thread as any other - will we ever see Stephen Ferris on an international rugby pitch ever again?

Yes he's only 28 and IMO still has a lot to give Ireland. He might be in the squad for Ireland's summer tour against Argentina which would be perfect for a come back, however, if he doesn't make that I definitely think he will play in Ireland's 2014 AIs.

I seriously hope Johnson has the sense to start Weir and despite their lack of game-time, Scott & Rennie, are deemed fit enough to play.

Look to keep Irish pinned in their half with Laidlaw, Weir & Hogg.

Lock is incredibly tough to call right now.    

Don't care if we repeat last year: 1% territory, 0 tries, 1 win.

slane wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Might as well ask on this thread as any other - will we ever see Stephen Ferris on an international rugby pitch ever again?

Yes he's only 28 and IMO still has a lot to give Ireland. He might be in the squad for Ireland's summer tour against Argentina which would be perfect for a come back, however, if he doesn't make that I definitely think he will play in Ireland's 2014 AIs.

Its not the age its the state of the knees. Would be amazing to see him back but even if he does I dont think you should expect the Ferris of old. Still, a one legged Ferris is still quite a prospect.

I've always wondered whether Ferris was just too big for his body. He is absolutely massive, and I wonder whether he just doesn't have the frame for it.

George Ireland have named their squad for the first leg of the Six Nations;

Ireland Squad for the games against Scotland and Wales

Forwards (18)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)*
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)

Backs (16)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Luke Marshall (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

No zebo Kinda surprised!! Weak defender tho!!

RugbyFan182 wrote:No zebo Kinda surprised!! Weak defender tho!!

No weaker than McFadden.
Felix Jones?   

Strange squad. Thirty four players named but just for the Scotland and Wales games?

Joe has named 7 backrowers and 7 back three players, which smacks of indecision as even if he wants two full teams for training it's too many. Considering that Ireland are unlikely to take more than 8 outside backs in total to the RWC, and with Earls, Gilroy and Zebo in the mix - that's 11 names for maybe 4 or 5 places. Schmidt just won't have the opportunity in training never mind on the pitch to reach settled combinations and work on set plays.

At least the opposition won't have any idea about the team they will be up against.

I expect Ireland to win comfortably in this game.

I think Scotland will get better as the tournament go's on to be honest. But in this first game Ireland all the way for me.

John Beattie, Kelly Brown, Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Chris Fusaro, Grant Gilchrist, Ryan Grant, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Scott Lawson, Moray Low, Pat MacArthur, Ross Rennie, Alasdair Strokosch, Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson

Chris Cusiter, Nick De Luca, Alex Dunbar, Max Evans, Dougie Fife, Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont, Greig Laidlaw, Sean Maitland, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour, Duncan Taylor and Duncan Weir

I've taken out the A squad players as they won't probably be playing. So I'd expect

Grant, Ford, Low, Gray Snr., Hamilton, Beattie, Brown, Denton; Laidlaw, Jackson, Lamont, Scott, Dunbar, Maitland, Hogg: Dickinson, MacArthur, Cross, Swinson, Strokosch, Cusiter, Weir, Taylor (maybe Gilchrist, Wilson)

I don't think there will be much in this game, the weather in Dublin is absolutely filthy at the moment. Holy Joe may be opting for solidity over flair

I think Scotland have a fair chance in bad weather. We know they can close games down in the mud and this will reduce the negative effect of the 9-13 axs which is their most obvious weakness. Keep it tight up front, they have a good line out, and there is no reason why they shouldn't be in it in the last 1/4.

Still having said all that i expect Ireland to win by 25 plus points.

Don't be talking Scotland up any will ya?   Hard to see beyond and ireland win but I would hope to give them a decent game.  

Scrums should be less of a lottery this year which will help Scotland.  Scotland have real strength and depth in the back 5 forwards and I would hope to see them make that count.  Pace out wide too and a couple of guys not scared to attack and counterattack.  Its not all doom and gloom but getting enough ball might be tricky.  Dunno who is going to run the lineout.  Scottish scrums have been poor in recent times.

Ah, here. It will be a good game either way.

The key thing as always with the 6 Nations is that club form carries over. And having watched Ulster and Munster a lot, that's why I'm worried. Thank god it's not Ruan O'Pienaar.

The weather looks like it is going to make it slightly more of a lottery than it might otherwise have been. It may well come down to who can hang onto the ball better and who makes the least mistakes.

You just never know what can happen the first game up in the 6 nations, look how bad Wales were last year. Ireland have the expectation now, especially after running NZ so close and I am not sure that sits to comfortably on them. If Scotland are still in it with 20 to go, I think there will be a lot of worried Irishmen with a sense of Deja Vu!

Judging by the score prediction thread for week 1, the general consensus is we’re going to get our ar*es handed to us.

Well a good start would be Laidlaw not box kicking everything away to Ireland, good player but terrible tactic of which he seems overly fond.

I'm surprised at the negativity from the scots - they have a good recent record against us. They've certainly got the pack to do well and have some dangerous runners in the 3/4's like Maitland and Hogg.

At half back I'd give us a clear edge but I definitely wouldn't be taking a home win for granted here - the Scots strengths in the lineout and breakdown could cause serious problems for Ireland. Schmidt hates committing men to the breakdown so this could be something Scotland will target.

Given the likely weather this is not a walk in the park for Ireland by a long shot

rodders wrote:I'm surprised at the negativity from the scots - they have a good recent record against us. They've certainly got the pack to do well and have some dangerous runners in the 3/4's like Maitland and Hogg.

At half back I'd give us a clear edge but I definitely wouldn't be taking a home win for granted here - the Scots strengths in the lineout and breakdown could cause serious problems for Ireland. Schmidt hates committing men to the breakdown so this could be something Scotland will target.  

With Ford's throwing in we can't generally expect lineout strength these days.

When is the Scots team being announced fella's?

nickj wrote:When is the Scots team being announced fella's?

Tomorrow lunchtime.

Cheers pal

If it's going to tip it down then Jim Hamilton and Ali Strokosch are worth strong consideration. Scotland have typically been pretty good at dealing with rain and boggy pitches for some reason (can't think why), and both Hamilton and Strokosch are classic wet weather players.

Laidlaw will come into his own as well, and Weir should be preferred to Jackson. Having two lumps in the centres, Dunbar and Taylor, with Sean Lamont on the wing, should also help us necessarily keep things simple and direct. Little chance of that trio baffling the Irish with skill and pace anyway.

Wet conditions will really suit us against Ireland. I wouldn't fancy facing their backline in dry running rugby conditions, and the pack is slightly weaker without SOB at 7. I also hope to see Tuohy ignored for Toner. Not that Toner is a poor player, but he doesn't have the same workrate or aggression at the rucks as Tuohy - an area where Scotland could struggle.

Given the predicted conditions, my Scotland 23:

1.Grant 2.Ford 3.Low 4.Swinson 5.Hamilton 6.Strokosch 7.Brown 8.Beattie 9.Laidlaw 10.Weir 11.Lamont 12.Dunbar 13.Taylor 14.Maitland 15.Hogg

16.Cross 17.MacArthur 18.Dickinson 19.Gray 20.Denton 21.Cusiter 22.Jackson 23.Evans

Such an enigma Ireland and such underachievers at International level given what we know their provincial teams are capable of. Are they going to finally find the spark under Schmidt or has this team got to long in the tooth. Are DOB and Darcy really still the best centre pairing, should he not be looking towards the next world cup and bringing the next generation on. How much are they going to really miss SOB.

Ireland have just got this habit of losing games they should have won and for all the plaudits about the NZ game last autumn, that was another one that got away. Are they a team built on confidence, I am not so sure you would say so.

We never know how Scotland will play first up. We usually start slowly and often underperform, especially when there is expectation upon us. I don't think that this is there this time and we have no idea which Ireland are going to turn up as well. They don't sit comfortably with the favourites tag either.

I think it will be a close game, largely dictated by the weather and really could go either way. It could well be a 3 pointer and decided by the boot.

I am not going to start this 6 nations preaching doom and gloom for Scotland. If it happens it happens, but the beginning of every year is a time for optimism and hope that this will finally be the year when our promise turns into reality.

MacKnocked-on wrote:

rodders wrote:I'm surprised at the negativity from the scots - they have a good recent record against us. They've certainly got the pack to do well and have some dangerous runners in the 3/4's like Maitland and Hogg.

At half back I'd give us a clear edge but I definitely wouldn't be taking a home win for granted here - the Scots strengths in the lineout and breakdown could cause serious problems for Ireland. Schmidt hates committing men to the breakdown so this could be something Scotland will target.  

With Ford's throwing in we can't generally expect lineout strength these days.

And we have been pish at the breakdown recently too

funnyExiledScot wrote:If it's going to tip it down then Jim Hamilton and Ali Strokosch are worth strong consideration. Scotland have typically been pretty good at dealing with rain and boggy pitches for some reason (can't think why), and both Hamilton and Strokosch are classic wet weather players.

Laidlaw will come into his own as well, and Weir should be preferred to Jackson. Having two lumps in the centres, Dunbar and Taylor, with Sean Lamont on the wing, should also help us necessarily keep things simple and direct. Little chance of that trio baffling the Irish with skill and pace anyway.

Wet conditions will really suit us against Ireland. I wouldn't fancy facing their backline in dry running rugby conditions, and the pack is slightly weaker without SOB at 7. I also hope to see Tuohy ignored for Toner. Not that Toner is a poor player, but he doesn't have the same workrate or aggression at the rucks as Tuohy - an area where Scotland could struggle.

Given the predicted conditions, my Scotland 23:

1.Grant 2.Ford 3.Low 4.Swinson 5.Hamilton 6.Strokosch 7.Brown 8.Beattie 9.Laidlaw 10.Weir 11.Lamont 12.Dunbar 13.Taylor 14.Maitland 15.Hogg

16.Cross 17.MacArthur 18.Dickinson 19.Gray 20.Denton 21.Cusiter 22.Jackson 23.Evans

I don't think either of Hamilton or Stroks would be in my ideal team, but I can see the logic in playing them in a mud bath. There is still this old chestnut of the lineout caller to sort out. Gray and Swinson allegedly not being able to do it. What the hell happens if Big Jim gets injured or carded (probably more likely) early on. Surely one of them has to step up. There must be a plan B for lineouts in there somewhere. Provided that was the case I would probably still start Gray.

BigGee - mine neither. Were it dry and favourable conditions for running rugby then I'd swap Hamilton for Gray (putting Gilchrist on the bench) and Strokosch for Denton (putting Fusaro on the bench), however we must think about the conditions.

I'm not too bothered about the lineout. Ford can't throw anyway; we could have Matfield and Eales in the second row and the opposition flanker would still be cleaning up at the tail. I also don't think there's an issue with Gray calling the lineout. He's plenty experienced now and I've seen him take a lot of lineout ball in his career. I'm sure he and Ford could figure something out.

I have pretty much given up on Rennie for this 6 nations. Let him go off to Bristol and get some fitness and form back. I do hope he plays for Scotland again at some stage though, he really does have that special ability that so few Scottish players do.

Brown is going to play 7, that is for sure, but it would be good to see what sort of impact Fusaro could make off the bench. Probably not in this game though, but at some point in the championship.

But then again SJ does retain the ability to surprise us so you never know.