Simon Easterby is expected to keep changes to a minimum, if making any at all, when unveiling the Irish team to face Scotland in Murrayfield next Sunday (kick-off 3pm). The starting XV and replacements will be announced on Friday morning and, barring injuries, could well remain unchanged, with Sam Prendergast to retain the number 10 jersey.
The interim head coach and his assistants are viewing the opening two matches very much as a mini-block within the context of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations. After the 27-22 bonus point win over England at home last Saturday the scope for change is reduced by the continuing absence of Tadgh Furlong, due to a calf strain, and Joe McCarthy following the head knock he sustained three days before the England game.
The two injury concerns from last week, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen, also appear to have resumed training in the IRFU HPC this week.
The outhalf debate appears to have generated the most discussion again after Jack Crowley’s positive contribution in the last quarter against England. In truth though Prendergast probed with increasing effectiveness in that heads-up style of his, putting players into space and gaps, and his zippy square skip pass for Bundee Aki to draw Ireland level with their second try was a beauty.
Scotland v Ireland: Sam Prendergast set to retain place at outhalf with changes to be kept to a minimum
Fin Smith to start at outhalf for England as Matthieu Jalibert swaps in for France
Taulupe Faletau back as Wales make two changes for Italy game
Ireland looking to keep up with the free-scoring Huw Jones at Murrayfield
“I think there is always things than any ‘10’ would feel they have to improve on,” said Easterby afterwards when intimating that it would be a little unfair to demote the 21-year-old after the first round. “We’re happy with Sam. It’s a big game. He has played in the autumn but this was the opening round of the Six Nations here in Dublin, against England, so I think you have to got to give him a lot of credit.
“He’s dealt with his selection, he’s led the team really well, he’s been supported by great guys around him. But he did a lot of really good things out there and there are things he’ll feel he can improve on.”
The calls between Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw at inside centre and between Ryan Baird and Jack Conan in the backrow look closer decisions. If there is to be an alteration, the most compelling case for an exchange of roles in the match-day 23 is arguably to promote Conan to the starting backrow and employ Baird’s athleticism off the bench when the game opens up more in the second half.
Are Ireland Six Nations favourites?
Coincidentally, both Baird and Conan have been replacements in Ireland’s last three Six Nations meetings with Scotland. But Conan has a particularly good record against the Scots, having made his Test debut in a World Cup warm-up win against them in August 2015. He has been on the winning side on all eight occasions he has played against Scotland, scoring a vital try off the bench in the penultimate leg of the 2023 Grand Slam in Murrayfield.
One other player who has a very good record against Scotland and seemingly had a strong voice this week, and thus could well be in consideration, is Peter O’Mahony, although then again he is a prominent leadership figure anyway.
Dan Sheehan’s remarkable return to action in the last fortnight with first Leinster and Ireland is testimony to the work which he did with the provincial and Irish medical and conditioning staff, as well as the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games heavyweight, Cathal O’Grady.
Nonetheless, given Ronan Kelleher’s strong form and with another week’s respite before Ireland face Wales in Cardiff in round three, there is no compelling case to risk overloading Sheehan after such a serious injury and prolonged lay-off.
Sheehan seems to accept as much himself when talking to the media on Wednesday when stating: “Obviously, my ambitions are to get back into a starting jersey like everyone else is. But at the same time, I need to manage my load, going from six months out of the game to three weeks in a row. But I’ve been well manage by everyone here. Unfortunately, it’s not up to me to pick the team. We’ll find out over the next few days. But my ambition is to get back soon.”
Furthermore, while there’s little doubting the positive impact of the Irish bench against England, Easterby was at pains to stress that this also had to be viewed in the prism of the work done by the starting XV. “The foundation was laid by some of the brilliant work that the lads did up front.”
Any rotation in this Six Nations is more likely to be implemented for the Wales game a fortnight hence in Cardiff before another re-set in readiness for another potentially huge meeting with France in round four in Dublin.
Ireland (possible) v Scotland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham, Ryan, Beirne, Baird, van der Flier, Doris (capt). Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Clarkson, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.
