IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt has made the surprise call of restoring Munster openside Tommy O’Donnell to his starting line-up for the Six Nations closer at home to Scotland (kick-off Saturday 17.00).

O’Donnell replaces Leinster back row Josh van der Flier, who Schmidt says has accumulated a number of ‘bumps and bruises’ through his first two internationals.

Captain Rory Best had been the only known doubt from the team who dismantled Italy last Saturday, but the hooker has overcome a calf strain and trained fully at Carton House today.

Munster wing Keith Earls will win his 50th cap on the left wing, outside Schmidt’s favoured centre pairing of Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne.

There are three changes among the replacements who took the field in the win over the Azzurri. Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan have recovered from injury to re-take spots from Finlay Bealham and Kieran Marmion respectively. And Richardt Strauss is preferred to Sean Cronin for the third time in the five Six Nations outings in this campaign.

Ireland

15. Simon Zebo
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Jared Payne
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Keith Earls
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Mike Ross
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Tommy O’Donnell
8. Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:

16. Richardt Strauss
17. Cian Healy
18. Nathan White
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Rhys Ruddock
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Fergus McFadden

Scotland

15. Stuart Hogg
14. Tommy Seymour
13. Duncan Taylor
12. Alex Dunbar
11. Tim Visser
10. Duncan Weir
9. Greig Laidlaw (captain)

1. Alasdair Dickinson
2. Ross Ford
3. WP Nel
4. Richie Gray
5. Tim Swinson
6. John Barclay
7. John Hardie
8. Ryan Wilson

Replacements:

16. Stuart McInally
17. Rory Sutherland
18. Moray Low
19. Rob Harley
20. Josh Strauss
21. Henry Pyrgos
22. Peter Horne
23. Sean Lamont

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