Ireland Team To Play Scotland

Brian O’Driscoll will earn his 129th cap on Sunday and in doing so becomes Ireland’s most-capped player of all-time, while Rob Kearney wins his 50th cap for Ireland.

Paul O’Connell captains the side and will be partnered in the second row by Devin Toner, who will be making his frst Six Nations start.

The front row is made up of Leinster duo Cian Healy and Mike Ross with Ulster’s Rory Best at hooker.

The back row sees Chris Henry come in at openside flanker for his first Six Nations start, with Munster captain Peter O’Mahony on the blindside and Jamie Heaslip at number 8.

Conor Murray partners Jonathan Sexton at half-back with Luke Marshall and O’Driscoll paired together in the centre.

The back-three sees Rob Kearney at full-back, his younger brother Dave Kearney will make his Six Nations debut on the left wing and Ulster’s Andrew Trimble returns on the right for his first Championship start in two years.

Leinster props Jack McGrath and Martin Moore are both standing by to make their Six Nations bows off the bench, with 22-year-old tighthead Moore poised to follow up on his debut for the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds last weekend.

There are two more potential Championship debutants on the bench in Dan Tuohy and Tommy O’Donnell, the Ulster lock having won all seven of his caps to date on summer tours.

Isaac Boss’ selection as reserve scrum half is another notable inclusion. He last played for Ireland during the North America tour last June, but has not featured in a Six Nations game since scoring a try in the famous 2007 Croke Park win over England.

Highlights from today’s press conference can be viewed on Irish Rugby TV.

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Scotland, 2014 RBS 6 Nations Championship, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, February 2, kick-off 3pm):

Player/Club/Province/Caps –

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 49
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 50
13. Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) 128
12. Luke Marshall (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 4
11. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 2
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