15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow)
Age: 27
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 93kg (14st, 9lbs)
Caps: 72
Finn Russell’s absence increases the pressure on Hogg, who is Scotland’s captain, most experienced player and talisman. Luckily for the Scots, he’s more than capable of carrying the burden.
14 Sean Maitland (Saracens)
Age: 31
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 101kg (15st, 12lbs)
Caps: 44
The big Saracens winger is a physical threat out wide with an eye for the line and provides a serious presence in the air. Has a big defensive job to do opposite Jacob Stockdale.
13 Huw Jones (Glasgow)
Age: 26
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 99kg (15st, 8lbs)
Caps: 23
Jones scored 10 tries in his first 14 Tests before losing form in 2018 and ultimately being left out of Scotland’s World Cup squad. However, he’s now back towards his best with plenty to prove.
12 Sam Johnson (Glasgow)
Age: 26
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 95kg (14st, 13lbs)
Caps: 9
Australia-born Johnson made his Scotland debut in last year's Six Nations opener after qualifying on residency grounds – he's a physical, uncompromising 12 with a smart offload.
11 Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)
Age: 23
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 107kg (16st, 11lbs)
Caps: 17
The imposing Kinghorn returns on the wing in place of the impish Darcy Graham. Able to play across the back three, he marked his only previous appearance at the Aviva Stadium in 2018 with a try.
10 Adam Hastings (Glasgow)
Age: 23
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 92kg (14st, 6lbs)
Caps: 16
What an opportunity this is for Hastings, who gets a clear run at outhalf in the absence of Finn Russell. The pressure will be huge, but he has everything to gain in Dublin.
9 Ali Price (Glasgow)
Age: 26
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 85.5kg (13st, 6lbs)
Caps: 28
Price picks up the baton from the recently retired Greig Laidlaw, and he must try and provide quick, quality ball for his Glasgow halfback partner Hastings.
1 Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh)
Age: 27
Height: 6'
Weight: 113kg (17st, 11lbs)
Caps: 3
Scotland are not blessed in the prop department, and Sutherland returns after nearly four years in the international wilderness. His first of three caps came against Ireland in March 2016.
2 Fraser Brown (Edinburgh)
Age: 30
Height: 6'
Weight: 112kg (17st, 9lbs)
Caps: 46
The consistent form of Brown has seen him take the number two jersey ahead of former captain Stuart McInally. Scotland’s lineout needs to be watertight on Saturday.
3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow)
Age: 25
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 126kg (19st, 11lbs)
Caps: 25
The Scotland tighthead cupboard is pretty bare and Ferguson gets the nod on the back of strong domestic form. Will need to be solid in a scrum which is likely to come under pressure.
4 Scott Cummings (Glasgow)
Age: 23
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 116kg (18st, 4lbs)
Caps: 8
Cummings makes his Six Nations debut after going to the World Cup as a bolter – he only earned his first cap in August. Will be looking to disrupt the Irish lineout as much as possible.
5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow)
Age: 25
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 121kg (19st, 1lb)
Caps: 55
The most experience forward in the Scottish pack, Gray is a tackling machine and will be tasked with the running of a smooth lineout operation in Dublin, where the set-piece will be crucial.
6 Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)
Age: 23
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 105kg (16st, 7lbs)
Caps: 14
Ritchie isn’t the biggest of backrow forwards but he makes up for it with intensity and work-rate, and can prove a real nuisance to Ireland on Saturday.
7 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)
Age: 28
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 102kg (16st, 1lb)
Caps: 28
Watson’s last action in a blue shirt came in defeat against Ireland at the World Cup, where he was stretchered off with a serious knee injury. Victory on Saturday will help lay those ghosts to rest.
8 Nick Haining (Edinburgh)
Age: 29
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 115kg (18st, 1lb)
Caps: 0
29-year-old Haining is set to make his belated Scottish debut from the back of the scrum – the Australian-born forward is a powerful ball carrier with soft hands and good feet.
