Six Nations: Gordon D'Arcy has been cleared to start for Ireland's Six Nations finale with Scotland at Croke Park tomorrow (5pm). The Leinster centre sustained heavy bruising above his left knee last week and was considered a doubt.
But head coach Declan Kidney has confirmed D'Arcy has been given the green light to face the Scots as Ireland chase a fifth Triple Crown in the seven years.
"Gordon is fit. He trained yesterday and again this morning so he's ready to play," said Kidney.
D'Arcy will line up alongside captain Brian O'Driscoll for the fifth and final time this championship in Ireland's last match at Croke Park. And O’Driscoll admits Scotland will be desperate to ruin Ireland’s final appearance, for the foreseeable future at least, at GAA headquarters.
Four highly-successful years on Dublin’s northside will come to an end this weekend with the team returning across the river to the Aviva Stadium in the autumn.
Scotland arrive in the Irish capital battling to avoid the wooden spoon but could easily have accounted for Wales, Italy and England. Despite their lack of success, however, captain O’Driscoll believes the influence of new head coach Andy Robinson is already having an impact.
“Andy is doing a great job. He did a great job at Edinburgh in turning them around and getting them playing some great stuff,” he said. “They were very difficult to beat and there’s a similar policy with Scotland — building defensively alongside a very strong work ethic. It’s a good foundation to build from.
“They’ve been unlucky with some results but you only have to look back to November when they managed to beat Australia to realise they’re capable of big performances when the occasion arises.
“I’m sure they’ll see this as a big occasion and a good opportunity.”
If Scotland are condemned to bottom place tomorrow, Ireland’s record at Croke Park will read played 14, won 10, lost three and drawn one. Included in those figures are victories over England, France and South Africa, a Grand Slam-winning season and three Triple Crowns.
“We’ve had some great days at Croke Park and some not so memorable ones, but that’s part and parcel of professional rugby,” said O’Driscoll. “For the most part we have fantastic memories and part of us will definitely be sorry to say goodbye.”
The pain of being routed by France, a result that all but ended their title defence, is fading but Kidney believes Scotland are capable of reopening the wounds of defeat.
“We lost in Paris but the way the lads have come back since then has been fantastic. The Triple Crown will be an added bonus,” he said. “If the Triple Crown comes out of it, that will be brilliant.
“But all you have to do is look at the history of the Triple Crown to see how hard it is to win these three matches. I believe this is a very good Scots side that has improved no end and has many points to prove.
“They’re hugely physical. They come at you defensively so we’ll have to be very sharp in trying to take our scores. I don’t think there will be much in it at the end of the day.”
Teams:
Ireland: G Murphy (Leicester); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster); T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O'Gara (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster).
Scotland:H Southwell (Stade Francais); S Lamont (Scarlets), N De Luca (Edinburgh), G Morrison (Glasgow), M Evans (Glasgow); D Parks (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Glasgow, capt); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), J Hamilton (Edinburgh), A Kellock (Glasgow), K Brown (Glasgow), J Barclay (Glasgow), J Beattie (Glasgow). Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), A Dickinson (Gloucester), R Gray (Glasgow), A MacDonald (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh), P Godman (Edinburgh), S Danielli (Ulster).