Lansdowne prop John Lyne will captain the Ireland Under 21 side in their opening championship encounter with Scotland in Mayfield, Dundee, next Saturday (2pm). Lyne was member of the Ireland Schoolboy side that toured Australia in July/August 2001, and he is joined on the 21s by colleagues from that trip, Stephen Keogh, Rory Best, Fiach O'Loughlin and Eugene McGovern. Other former Ireland Schools internationals included on the 21s side are out-half David McAllister, (pictured) prop Jason Moran, lock Shane O'Connor, and replacement flanker Ciaran Potts. O'Connor, a member of Cork Constitution, played in the FIRA U19 World Championship twelve months ago and was partnered in the second row by David Gannon while wing Richard Lane was also capped at that level.

Ireland U21 (v Scotland U21 on Saturday February 15th, 2003 at Mayfield, Dundee k.o. 14.00hrs).

Tommy Bowe (Queens University); Richard Lane (UCC), Barry Murphy (UL Bohemians), Keith Matthews (UL Bohemians), David Warwick (Newport); David McAllister (Terenure College), Conor O'Loughlin (Buccaneers); John Lyne capt (Lansdowne), Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins), Jason Moran (UCD); David Gannon (UCD), Shane O'Connor (Cork Constitution); John Muldoon (Galwegians), Niall Ronan (Lansdowne), Stephen Keogh (UCC).

Replacements: Kevin Corrigan (UCD), Eugene McGovern (Old Crescent), Neil McComb (Dundee Highschool), Ciaran Potts (St. Mary's College), (Fiach O'Loughlin (Shannon), Michael Rainey (Glasgow Hawks).