Ireland team that should start against Scotland to clinch Triple Crown (and possibly more)

“James Ryan will not be considered for selection this week

Monday’s Ireland team update came with unfortunate but, all things considered, welcome news about James Ryan.

The Leinster lock sustained another bad concussion – his fifth in the past two years – in the weekend win over England. The IRFU today confirmed that he is out of the Scotland game, on Saturday, and will be supervised by the medics at his province. It is a shame to see him missing out, but the correct call.

Ryan Baird, who would have been a live option to start in the second row, is also out with a back injury. While Joe McCarthy and Ross Molony [both Leinster] are in training with the squad this week, Andy Farrell will chose his starting second row from Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne and Kieran Treadwell.

On the latest House of Rugby URC [LISTEN from 4:45 below], the panel were joined by Connacht flanker Conor Oliver as they looked ahead to the Scotland game and discussed potential changes to the starting XV.

The Ireland team we would select to face Scotland

During House of Rugby, cases were made for Mack Hansen to return to the Ireland team for Saturday’s visit of Scotland, as well as Jack Conan coming back into the side.

With James Ryan out, we know there will definitely be one change. We are going for Iain Henderson and Tadhg Beirne, and reckon Andy Farrell will do likewise.

Andrew Conway had two unreal kicks for touch, and that may be enough to keep him in Farrell’s team ahead of Hansen. It is a tough call. So too is the Ireland centre combination decision. Greg O’Shea feels Robbie Henshaw should come in after a super cameo off the bench, at Twickenham.

“I would love to see Robbie Henshaw starting against Scotland,” said O’Shea. “Every involvement he had against England was outstanding.”

We are siding with O’Shea on this one, and we suspect Andy Farrell may do likewise, leaving Bundee Aki as the odd centre out. More tough news for Connacht fans, although Aki has proven us profoundly wrong before.

Elsewhere, Jack Conan will be pushing Peter O’Mahony for a back row spot and Dave Kilcoyne likewise for the No.1 jersey worn by Cian Healy last weekend.

Our Ireland team to face Scotland

15. Hugo Keenan
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. James Lowe
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. Iain Henderson
6. Caelan Doris
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan

Subs: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, James Hume.