UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL/Scotland v Ireland: Cork constitution's Michael Bradley takes over from Ciaran Fitzgerald for the first of the series of under-21 matches.
Lansdowne prop John Lyne will captain the Irish side. Lyne was member of the Ireland Schoolboy side that toured Australia in the summer of 2001, and he is joined by colleagues from that trip, Stephen Keogh, Rory Best, Fiach O'Loughlin and Eugene McGovern.
Other former Ireland Schools internationals included are outhalf David McAllister, prop Jason Moran, lock Shane O'Connor, and replacement flanker Ciaran Potts.
O'Connor, a member of Cork Constitution, played in the FIRA U19 World Championship 12 months ago, where he was partnered in the second row by David Gannon, while wing Richard Lane was also capped at that level.
Queen's University's Tommy Bowe is named at full back. Bowe, who has starred for Ulster under-19s, Ulster under-21s and Ulster Development Squad already this season, has only recently shown his full potential for Queen's in the All-Ireland League.
For Scotland, Allister Hogg, the Edinburgh flanker, will captain the home side. He is one of five contracted players in the Scottish team. There are three players from Boroughmuir, but halfbacks Chris Cusiter and Andy Warnock have been separated with the latter at full back and Cuister at scrumhalf.
One player the Irish will want to keep an eye on is outside centre Andrew Turnbull, who has a fine turn of pace, while Cusiter's creativity is often the root of many of Scotland's attacks.
IRISH UNDER-21: T Bowe (QUB); R Lane (UCC), B Murphy (UL Bohemians), J Matthews (UL Bohemians), D Warick (Newport); D McAllister (Terenure), Conor O'Loughlin (Buccaneers); L Lyne (Lansdowne capt.), Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins), J Moran (UCD), David Gannon (UCD), S O'Connor (Cork Con.), J Muldoon (Galwegians), Stephen Keogh (UCC), Neil Ronan (Lansdowne). Replacements: K Corrigan (UCD), E McGovern (Old Crescent), N McComb (Dundee High School), C Potts (St Mary's), F O'Loughlin (Shannon), M Rainey (Glasgow Hawks), P O'Brien (UCC).
SCOTLAND UNDER-21: A Aarnock (Boroughmuir); A Turnbull (Watsonians), G Morrison (Glasgow Hawks), T Phillip (Edinburh Rugby), N Walker (Borders); P Goodman (Newcastle Falcons), C Cusiter (Boroughmuir), A Dickinson (Dundee), F Thompson (West of Scotland), G Cross (Heriots), A Strokosch (Boroughmuir), M Rennis (Newcastle Falcons), S Swindall (Glasgow Hawks), D Callam (Hawick), A Hogg (Edinburgh Rugby). Replacements: J Henry (Leicester Tigers), J Malakoty (Glasgow Hawks), K Brown (Melrose), A Millar (Gala), M McMillan (Sterling), J Rimmer (Pontypridd), G Morton (The Borders)
