Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Ireland v Scotland

A day of high-stakes drama, as the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations comes to a thrilling climax, begins at a sold-out Aviva Stadium where Ireland and Scotland both aim for their fourth straight win and the tangible success of a Triple Crown.

2026 GUINNESS MEN’S SIX NATIONS – ROUND 5:

Saturday, March 14 –

IRELAND (3rd) v SCOTLAND (2nd), Aviva Stadium, kick-off 2.10pm (live Virgin Media One/Virgin Media Play/ITV 1/RTÉ Radio 1//BBC Radio Ulster/BBC Radio 5 Live/BBC Sounds/IRFU Live Blog)

Team News: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made four changes for the final round showdown with Scotland. One of them is enforced with James Ryan’s calf injury ruling him out of the much-anticipated Celtic derby.

Farrell’s men trail Scotland and leaders France by two points heading into the traditional ‘Super Saturday’ finale, but could leapfrog both teams if results go their way. First things first, a winning finish to the campaign is the target, which would see them retain the Triple Crown.

Joe McCarthy returns in the second row to replace Ryan, Dan Sheehan and Josh van der Flier also come into the pack, and Leinster’s Tommy O’Brien, in his first Six Nations, has been preferred to Jacob Stockdale on the left wing.

Two of Ireland’s four BKT Rising Star award nominees, Robert Baloucoune and Nick Timoney, are part of the matchday squad. O’Brien is reunited in the back-three with Baloucoune and full-back Jamie Osborne, who have scored five tries between them in the 2026 Championship.

Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey start together in the centre for the fifth round running, and Jack Crowley, the tournament’s third top scorer with 34 points, and Jamison Gibson-Park will lead the back-line again from half-back.

Continuing at loosehead, Ulster prop Tom O’Toole will start back-to-back Tests for the first time. Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong, the most-capped member of the starting XV with 85 Ireland appearances, complete the front row.

Captaining his country for the 19th time, Mayo man Caelan Doris will have van der Flier and Jack Conan, the try-scoring player-of-the-match against Wales last Friday night, alongside him in the back row.

Connacht lock Darragh Murray (pictured below) is standing by to make his Six Nations debut off the bench. The forward cover also includes Timoney, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Milne, and Finlay Bealham, while Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, and the returning Bundee Aki are the back-line reinforcements.

“It is an incredible privilege for the squad to play at home in front of a packed Aviva Stadium with a trophy up for grabs,” said Farrell. “We know about the challenge facing us on Saturday, and Scotland will travel with confidence.

“You’ll see two teams who like to attack, and we’ll look to implement our game-plan to get the performance that we want.

“When you factor in a loud home support, and with the game taking place on St. Patrick’s weekend, it really has all the ingredients for a cracking contest.”

Meanwhile, Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made three changes to his starting line-up for the Triple Crown decider in Dublin.

Injuries have ruled out Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings, so Max Williamson and Grant Gilchrist will pair up in the second row. Gilchrist is set to win his 88th cap and break Scott Murray’s Scottish appearance record in the position.

Zander Fagerson, a replacement last week against France, joins Pierre Schoeman and George Turner in the front row. Glasgow Warriors club-mates Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, and Jack Dempsey link up in the back row for the third time in recent weeks.

Kyle Steyn, the player-of-the-match in the 50-40 victory over les Bleus, features in an unchanged back-line. Fellow winger Darcy Graham will be looking to follow up on his brace from the last round, which took his tally to 37 to top Scotland’s all-time list.

Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn is once more named at full-back, with captain Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, who has recovered from an Achilles issue, forming the centre partnership for the fifth straight match.

Ben White will start again alongside vice-captain Finn Russell, ensuring that the same half-backs have also started each of Scotland’s games in this year’s Six Nations.

Among the replacements, there are first involvements of 2026 for six-times capped Glasgow lock Alex Craig, back rower Magnus Bradbury, and Kyle Rowe, who will cover the back-three positions.

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Results/Fixtures

Guinness Men’s Six Nations Table

IRELAND: Jamie Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster); Robert Baloucoune (Enniskillen RFC/Ulster), Garry Ringrose (UCD RFC/Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Bangor RFC/Ulster), Tommy O’Brien (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution FC/Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne FC/Munster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Josh van der Flier (UCD RFC/Leinster), Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College RFC/Leinster) (capt).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Michael Milne (Nenagh Ormond RFC/Munster), Finlay Bealham (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Craig Casey (Shannon RFC/Munster), Ciarán Frawley (UCD RFC/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians RFC/Connacht).

SCOTLAND: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse); Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) (capt), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), Ben White (Toulon); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), George Turner (Harlequins), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), D’arcy Rae (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Craig (Glasgow Warriors), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears).

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (RA), Damian Schneider (UAR)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

Pre-Match Quotes:

Caelan Doris (Ireland) –

Winning the Triple Crown would be a big stepping stone on this team’s journey, this team’s path. I think there’s been some good progression through the tournament, and there’s a good feeling in camp at the minute.

“I think it would further the belief, definitely, and it would be something we’d reflect on and look back on with positive feelings.

“Set-piece has been an important part of that (the forwards getting the edge over Scotland) over the last number of years. Breakdown as well. Scotland have very quick speed of ball, I think the quickest in the tournament, and they hold onto the ball very well as well.

“As a back row in particular, it’s going to be important to win that battle. But I just think every kind of opportunity for collision, every contact with their pack is an important moment.

“We’ve seen some very good defensive moments from us in the past, of knocking them back and getting on top of them that way, so yeah, it is a very important battle up front.”

Sione Tuipulotu (Scotland) –

We want to be the first of our kind. That is a big motivation factor but it’s not the be-all and end-all definitely. I feel like with this team, that I’ve played for in the last five years, in certain aspects we’ve been to hell and back together.

“Where my strength comes from or our strength comes from as a team is the hard stuff we’ve been through as well.

“To be resilient in those times is what gives me the most confidence that we’ll be the best version of ourselves tomorrow.

“There’s obviously a bit on the line and maybe it’s a little bit of foreign territory for a Scottish team to be in the last week and there be a lot on the line, but we’ve earned that privilege. We’re really excited about it.”

Pre-Match Interviews & Links –

Farrell: Scotland Are A Side We’ve Always Respected

Doris: There’s No Second Chance Here, A Fast Start Is Important Again

‘History Has No Relevance Really’ – Conan On Saturday’s Triple Crown Decider

Ireland Quartet Make BKT Rising Star Award Shortlist

Goodman: There’s Lots Of Excitement And Some Good Edge

Opta Facts: Guinness Men’s Six Nations – Ireland v Scotland

Recent Meetings –

2023: Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Scotland 7 Ireland 22, Scottish Gas Murrayfield; Rugby World Cup Pool B: Ireland 36 Scotland 14, Stade de France

2024: Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Ireland 17 Scotland 13, Aviva Stadium

2025: Guinness Men’s Six Nations: Scotland 18 Ireland 32, Scottish Gas Murrayfield

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