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Ireland make six changes their XV and include uncapped prop on their bench to face Scotland

By Online Editors
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Andy Farrell has reacted to the unimpressive Ireland win last Sunday over Georgia by changing six of his starting side to face Scotland in this Saturday’s third-place Autumn Nations Cup playoff in Dublin.

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Ireland stuttered for second-half momentum versus the Georgians, winning only 23-10 and leaving their coach dissatisfied with what he had seen. He has now taken remedial action with his fourth Nations Cup selection and his sixth match in recent weeks.

Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw return at midfield, with Henshaw at No13, in the hope that they will go better than Chris Farrell and Stuart McCloskey.

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Dylan Hartley and Jamie Roberts talk Autumn Nations Cup and what could make rugby a better spectacle

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Dylan Hartley and Jamie Roberts talk Autumn Nations Cup and what could make rugby a better spectacle

The third backline change sees fit-again skipper Johnny Sexton reinstated at out-half and he will resume his experienced partnership with Conor Murray.

The three changes in the starting pack begin with Cian Healy’s restoration at loosehead in place of Finlay Bealham, who had difficulty coping with the Georgian scrum.

In the back row, Peter O’Mahony and Caelan Doris come back in for Tadhg Beirne and Will Connors, joining CJ Stander who will pack down at blindside having been at No8 last weekend.

The big bench news is the call-up for uncapped loosehead Eric O’Sullivan of Ulster. He is joined in the replacements by Ronan Kelleher, John Ryan, Quinn Roux, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne and Farrell.

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IRELAND (vs Scotland, Saturday)
15. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 32
14. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster) 5
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 46
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 29
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.

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M
Mzilikazi 20 minutes ago
How England reverse-engineered unlikely attacking change

Thanks, Nick, not only for this fine article, but for all the others during 6N 2024. I really enjoyed this 2024 tournament, and felt it was one of the best for many years. That final match in Lyons was really good. England were certainly unlucky when that speculative hack by Ramos lead to a French try. It could just so easily have landed in English hand.s, and they score at the other end. I did think though that the French played some great rugby, and some of their driving play in the forwards was just fearsome. I watched Meafou with interest, and he has a good start to his career. It is interesting to compare him with Will Skelton. Lot of similarities, though so far Meafou has not shown any offloading threat. All credit to Borthwick for being prepared to change, and what great result, even if that last game was lost at the death. I feel they are a real chance to cause the AB’s problems this winter/summer. Finally a comment on Ireland. I thought their last game was their worst, and they did not look like the world’s No 2 side at all. What really worries me is that the loss to England was, in my view, down to poor decision making by the coaching group, and ofc Andy Farrell wears that. It was a big mistake to move JGP away from scrum half. Murray should have been the one to go to the wing. And the “finishers” should have been on the field earlier. And this is the second time this has happened. The RWC Qf against the AB’s, and not getting Crowley onto the field was a huge mistake. Finally, finally, watching Italy play was a joy. How wonderful that they are no longer the punchbag of the 6 N.

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