Ireland and Scotland name their sides for Autumn Nations Cup clash

The Ireland Coaching Team have named their Match Day squad as Scotland come to the Aviva Stadium for Saturday’s final Guinness Series game in the Autumn Nations Cup. (Kick-off 2.15pm).
 
The uncapped Ulster Rugby prop Eric O’Sullivan, who was called up to Andy Farrell‘s squad in recent weeks, is set to make his Ireland debut as he is named amongst the replacements for the Play-Off game.
 
Johnny Sexton returns to captain the side and is re-united with Conor Murray at half-back. Robbie Henshaw also returns to line out at inside centre with his old provincial partner Bundee Akiat outside centre.
 
The back three is unchanged from last weekend’s win over Georgia, with Jacob Stockdale at fullback and Keith Earls and Hugo Keenan on the wings.
 
Up front, Cian Healy packs down alongside Rob Herring and Andrew Porter. James Ryan and Iain Henderson continue in the second row and the back row is made up of Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander and Caelan Doris.

15. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 32
14. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster) 5
13. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 29 Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 12
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 46
11. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 87
10. Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster 94 Captain
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 86
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 103
2. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 15
3. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 31
4. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster) 57
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)  31
6. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 45
7. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 72
8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 6

Replacements:

16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster) 5
17. Eric O’Sullivan (Banbridge/Ulster) Uncapped
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 22
19. Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 15
20. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 27
21. Jamison Gibson Park ( Leinster) 4
22. Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) 10
23. Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 13.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh stand-off Jaco van de Walt will make his Scotland debut as one of six changes to the starting team to face Ireland. Captain Stuart Hogg is in line to win his 80th Scotland cap, moving him into 7th position on the list of Scotland male internationalists immediately behind Gregor Townsend in 6th on 82 appearances and current assistant coach, Mike Blair 5th, who finished his Scotland career with 85 caps.

Duncan Taylor has been selected at inside centre and the Saracen will makes his first Scotland start since the defeat of Russia at Rugby World Cup 2019 in the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup tie to determine which team finishes in third and fourth positions respectively.

Taylor partners Chris Harris in the centres, who along with Glasgow Warriors’ scrum-half Ali Price and lock Scott Cummings, is one of three Scotland players to have started every match in the 2020 autumn campaign.

Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham returns to the side and lines up with fellow Edinburgh flyer Duhan van de Merwe to complete the back line with full-back Stuart Hogg.

The core of the pack who faced France in the previous ANC round are retained with Fraser Brown at hooker, lock pairing Scott Cummings and Jonny Gray and number 8 Matt Fagerson all in the starting line up.

Edinburgh loosehead prop Rory Sutherland returns to front row duties, packing down with tighthead Zander Fagerson alongside Brown.

The back row sees a positional change and a new combination with Edinburgh flanker Jamie Ritchie moving to the openside and Scarlets’ Blade Thomson on the blindside at number 6.

Glasgow back Huw Jones and London Irish flanker Blair Cowan are set to make their first appearances of the autumn campaign from the bench.

Winger Sean Maitland will win his 50th cap should he be called upon to feature.

Three new front row replacements are named from the France fixture with Glasgow Warrior Oli Kebble joining up with Edinburgh pair hooker Stuart McInally and tighthead WP Nel.

Exeter players Sam Skinner and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne complete the matchday 23.

Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “We’ve been together for the past two months and from a coaching perspective it has been a real joy seeing the group come together and work so hard to improve both individually and collectively. We are looking forward to facing Ireland in what will be an opportunity to continue our progress away from home once again.”

“We have been impressed with Jaco over the time he has trained with us and we’re excited to see him take the next step into international test match rugby. It will be a tough challenge over in Ireland, given the quality of our opposition and how they will be looking to end 2020 on a positive note.

“Being able to bring back Rory Sutherland after his recent injury is a real boost, and it’s great to involve Blair and Huw for the first time this season. If they get on the field, 39 players will have had opportunities to play over the past 5 games, which underlines the current player depth throughout Scottish rugby and shows the competition there is for places now in this Scotland team.”

Scotland team to play Ireland at Aviva Stadium

15. Stuart Hogg CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 79 caps

14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 14 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 22 caps
12. Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 27 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 4 caps

10. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 0 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 36 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 10 caps
2. Fraser Brown VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 53 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 33 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 60 caps
6. Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – 8 caps
7. Jamie Ritchie VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 22 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps

Substitutes:
16. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) – 40 caps
17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps
18. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 39 caps
19. Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 9 caps
20. Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 17 caps
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Exeter Chiefs) – 13 caps
22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps
23. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 49 caps