Ireland name team for Scotland Six Nations clash as Andy Farrell brings in experience

Hooker Dan Sheehan, lock Joe McCarthy and openside flanker Josh van der Flier return to the forward pack, with Ronan Kelleher and Nick Timoney dropping to the bench and James Ryan ruled out by a calf injury.

Tommy O’Brien is preferred to Jacob Stockdale on the left wing in the sole alteration among the backs following last week’s 27-17 bonus-point win over Wales.

With Ryan unavailable, Connacht lock Darragh Murray, 24, is in line to make his championship debut – and win his third Test cap – from the bench.

Centre Bundee Aki, who was suspended for the opening three rounds, is also among the replacements and poised to make his first appearance of the tournament.

Ireland and Scotland will go head-to-head for the Triple Crown in a bid to keep alive their respective title hopes before table-topping France host England in the final fixture of the championship.

Jack Crowley again partners scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, with Ciaran Frawley retained as fly-half cover ahead of Sam Prendergast.

Stuart McCloskey and Garry Ringrose, backed up by the returning Aki, continue in midfield, while Robert Baloucoune and Jamie Osborne are retained at right wing and full-back respectively.

In the pack, props Tom O’Toole and Tadhg Furlong join Sheehan in the front row, Tadhg Beirne partners McCarthy, and captain Caelan Doris lines up in the middle of the back row, between Jack Conan and Van der Flier.

Head coach Farrell said: “It is an incredible privilege for the squad to play at home in front of a packed Aviva Stadium with a trophy up for grabs. We know about the challenge facing us on Saturday and Scotland will travel with confidence.

“You’ll see two teams who like to attack and we’ll look to implement our game plan to get the performance that we want. When you factor in a loud home support and with the game taking place on St Patrick’s weekend, it really has all the ingredients for a cracking contest.”

Ireland team: J Osborne (Leinster); R Baloucoune (Ulster), G Ringrose (Leinster), S McCloskey (Ulster), T O’Brien (Leinster); J Crowley (Munster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); T O’Toole (Ulster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), J McCarthy (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), J Conan (Leinster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster, capt). Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), M Milne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), D Murray (Connacht), N Timoney (Ulster), C Casey (Munster), C Frawley (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht).