Ireland aim to bounce back

RUGBY:IRELAND COACH Mike Ruddock will be hoping to re-establish some impetus in Ireland's campaign with victory over tonight's hosts following a heavy defeat by France in Athlone last time out. Missing seven players for the French match through injury and unavailability, he is still short nearly half a team although Leinster duo Martin Moore and Michael Kearney return to the pack.

Scotland have yet to win a match in this campaign losing 49-5 in France and then 33-3 to Wales at home a fortnight ago. Coach Peter Wright has made three changes from that night and handed the captaincy to 18-year -old centre Harry Leonard. He gives a debut to another teenager, outhalf Stuart Edwards.

Wright admitted: “Harry is obviously still quite young, but he’s extremely vocal and not afraid to give his team-mates a tough time if he feels it’s appropriate. He’s a mature rugby player and a mature guy, and we want to harness the leadership qualities that he has to the benefit of the team.

“Stuart will provide a strong all-round game at 10. He can run the ball, he can get the backline moving and he also has a good kicking game. He’s been chomping at the bit for an opportunity and now has to grasp it.” The main changes to the home side are in midfield and also a couple of alterations to the front row.

Ireland should be able to get their hands on a great deal more ball than they did the last day. Captain and hooker Niall Annett and number eight Jordi Murphy impressed against the French. Outhalf Paddy Jackson will be a key player on the night while the visitors will be looking for some creativity from midfield through Alex Kelly and JJ Hanrahan; the latter is handed his first start.

SCOTLAND: G Bryce (Heriot’s); M Doneghan (Glasgow Warriors), M Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), H Leonard (Edinburgh, capt), K Gossman (Glasgow Warriors); S Edwards (Stirling County), J Stevenson (Westcombe Park); R Hislop (Edinburgh), D Cherry (Team Northumbria), C Phillips (Edinburgh); M Todd (Nottingham), R McAlpine (West of Scotland), A Spence (Heriot’s), H Watson (Leicester Tigers), J Tyas (Bath). Replacements: R Ferguson (Melrose), G Hunter (Glasgow Warriors), A Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks), M Eadie (Filton College), S Kennedy (Stirling County), C Jackson (Melrose), S Atkin (Edinburgh).

IRELAND: M Sherlock (Leinster); T O’Halloran (Connacht), A Kelly (Leinster), JJ Hanrahan (Munster), A Boyle (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), B McIlroy (Ulster); J Tracy (Leinster), N Annett (Ulster, capt), M Moore (Leinster); M Kearney (Leinster), D Qualter (Connacht); S Buckley (Munster), A Conneely (Connacht), J Murphy (Leinster). Replacements: D Doyle (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), C O’Flaherty (Munster), M Dolan (Connacht), G Quinn McDonogh (Munster), C O’Shea (Leinster).