O'Gara hasn't played since returning from the summer tour to the southern hemisphere where he picked up a wrist injury playing in the second last game of the tour against Tonga.
The Team shows nine changes from that which defeated Italy by 61-6 at Thomond Park on Saturday last. Keith Wood returns at hooker to captain a side that also sees the inclusion of Geordan Murphy at full back; Anthony Horgan at right wing, Kevin Maggs at inside centre; Peter Stringer at half back; Malcolm O'Kelly and Paul O'Connell in the second row and David Wallace at N0. 6.
The Ireland team to play Scotland is:
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester) 14 - Anthony Horgan (Munster - Cork Constitution) 13 - Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster - Blackrock College) 12 - Kevin Maggs (Bath) 11 - Denis Hickie (Leinster - St. Mary's College) 10 - Ronan O'Gara (Munster - Cork Constitution) 9 - Peter Stringer (Munster - Cork Constitution) 1 - Marcus Horan (Munster - Shannon) 2 - Keith Wood (Munster) Captain 3 - Reggie Corrigan (Leinster - Greystones) 4 - Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster - St. Mary's College) 5 - Paul O'Connell (Munster - Young Munster) 6 - David Wallace (Munster - Garryowen) 7 - Eric Miller (Leinster - Terenure College) 8 - Victor Costello (Leinster - St. Mary's College)
Replacements:16 - Shane Byrne (Leinster - Blackrock College), 17 - Simon Best (Ulster - Belfast Harlequins), 18 - Simon Easterby (Llanelli), 19 - Kieron Dawson (London Irish), 20 - Guy Easterby (Rotherham), 21 - David Humphreys (Ulster - Dungannon), 22 - Girvan Dempsey (Leinster - Terenure College).
Not considered because of injury: John Hayes (Munster - Shannon), Shane Horgan (Leinster - Lansdowne), John Kelly (Munster - Cork Constitution).
