Munster player joins Ireland's Six Nations squad

MUNSTER second row Billy Holland has been called into the Ireland Six Nations squad ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash with Scotland at Edinburgh.

Holland has joined the squad in Carton House as cover for Devin Toner, who aggravated an ankle injury in last weekend’s disappointing defeat to England at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt must plan without second rows Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne for the trip to the Scottish capital.

The Ireland management team remain hopeful that Leinster second-row Toner will be fit to face the Scots this weekend.

Quinn Roux was the replacement second row for the England defeat, while Ultan Dillane was the other lock named in the original Six Nations squad. 

Billy Holland won his only Ireland cap to date against Canada in a November international in 2016 at the Aviva Stadium.

Holland became the tenth Munster-man to reach 200 caps for the province, and the first of the current squad to reach the significant milestone, when sprung from the bench during last month’s Guinness PRO 14 bonus point win against Connacht.

The last Munster player to reach such a milestone was Donncha O’Callaghan in April 2012 against Glasgow in Cork.

Holland, who celebrated his 33rd birthday in August, is now in his 12th season of professional rugby after first lining out in red against Scarlets in September 2007.