Rugby Digest

A round up of today's other rugby news

Fullback Josh Lewsey is back in the England team for Saturday's Six Nations game against Scotland in Edinburgh after recovering from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the last match against Italy.

The only other change from the starting XV that won 31-16 in Rome comes in the front row, where Julian White replaces the injured Matt Stevens at tighthead.

Perry Freshwater of Perpignan replaces White on the bench, while Leicester's George Chuter comes in for Lee Mears as the replacement hooker. Lewsey's Wasps team-mate Tom Voyce returns to the replacements.

Scotland have made three changes from their Cardiff defeat. Coach Frank Hadden has brought in Scott MacLeod at lock, Doug Hall at hooker and Marcus Di Rollo at outside centre.

Hadden opted for McLeod over Nathan Hines to replace Scott Murray, suspended after he was sent off for kicking Welsh second rower Ian Gough.

Hooker Hall replaces Scott Lawson, who started against Wales but has been dropped - Hadden preferring Ross Ford on the bench.

The one change in the backline is the return of Di Rollo at outside centre for Ben MacDougall.

A 38-man preliminary squad was announced yesterday for the first AIB club international between Ireland and Scotland in Donnybrook on Friday, March 10th.

The squad, coached by Geoff Moylan (Buccaneers) and managed by Mick Galwey (Shannon), will be whittled to 22 next Tuesday.

IRELAND SQUAD

Forwards (22): N Carson (Clontarf), F Cogan (Cork Con), N Conlon (DU), K Corrigan (Lansdowne), J Coughlan (Dolphin), M Crockett (DU), K Croke (UCD), C Hartigan (Buccaneers), C Henry (Malone), L Hogan (Shannon), A Kavanagh (Garryowen), A Maher (Lansdowne), P Malone (Garryowen), R McGrath (Dolphin), M Melbourne (Garryowen), C O'Byrne (St Mary's), D Quinlan (Buccaneers), D Ryan (Shannon), T Ryan (Cork Con), S Shawe (Ballymena), R Sweeney (Clontarf), M Warburton (DU).

Backs (16): E Burke (Barnhall), D Delaney (Shannon), S Grissing (UCD), C Healy (Cork Con), D Hurley (UCC), G Hurley (Garryowen), D Keane (Clontarf), R McCarter (City of Derry), J McGrugan (Ballymena), D McKechnie (Greystones), N O'Brien (Clontarf), C O'Boyle (Garryowen), B O'Donnell (Clontarf), F O'Loughlin (Clontarf), G Steenson (Dungannon), G Telford (Dungannon).

ENGLAND: J Lewsey; M Cueto, J Noon, M Tindall, B Cohen; C Hodgson, H Ellis; A Sheridan, S Thompson, J White; S Borthwick, D Grewcock; J Worsley, L Moody, M Corry (capt). Replacements: G Chuter, P Freshwater, S Shaw, L Dallaglio, M Dawson, A Goode, T Voyce.

SCOTLAND: H Southwell; C Paterson, M Di Rollo, A Henderson, S Lamont; D Parks, M Blair; G Kerr, D Hall, B Douglas; S MacLeod, A Kellock; J White, A Hogg, S Taylor (capt). Replacements: R Ford, C Smith, N Hines, J Petrie, C Cusiter, G Ross, S Webster.