IRFU Live Blog: Ireland v Scotland
Join us for live text commentary of Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations final round clash with Scotland at the Aviva Stadium today (kick-off 5pm), as Keith Earls makes his 50th appearance for the team.
On the couch, in the clubhouse, on the move? You can follow all the action from Ireland v Scotland with our IRFU Live Blog this evening.
If you don’t have a ticket for Ireland’s round 5 tie with the Scots (kick-off 5pm), you can keep track of the game on our IRFU Live Blog, featuring:
– Live match updates and all the build-up from the Aviva Stadium
– Your tweets and photos
– In-game player and team statistics from Accenture
– Post-match reaction from Joe Schmidt and the players
Head coach Joe Schmidt has made just one change to the team that eclipsed Italy in round 4. Tommy O’Donnell is recalled to wear the number 7 jersey with Josh van der Flier making way.
On the bench there are three further alterations with Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan all returning for Sean Cronin, Finlay Bealham and Kieran Marmion, while centre Keith Earls earns his 50th cap.
Skipper Rory Best plays in his 50th successive RBS 6 Nations match, equalling Chris Paterson between 2000 and 2007 – only Best’s former front row colleague, John Hayes, has a longer sequence with 54 (all starts between 2001 and 2010).
Ireland’s starting line-up have 625 Test caps between them; the bench has a further 224 caps. The average age of the team is 29.5 years, while the average on the bench is 29.1.