Andy Farrell is seemingly set to name an unchanged starting XV for Ireland’s concluding Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 4.45pm). However, the indications are that the Irish head coach and his assistants will revert to a 5-3 split on the bench to accommodate specialist outhalf cover in the shape of Harry Byrne, as well as the fit-again Garry Ringrose.
Peter O’Mahony is expected to lead the side again, with Conor Murray retained as back-up scrumhalf on the bench.
If it comes to pass that Farrell retains the same XV which started at Twickenham, it could be that Ryan Baird’s form as a specialist blindside flanker since the World Cup will see him retained to cover the secondrow as well. In that scenario Iain Henderson, who was on the bench against Italy and England, might miss out on the match day 23, as he did against France and Wales.
Both right-winger Calvin Nash and his replacement, Ciarán Frawley, left the field at the start of each half respectively in Twickenham to undergo HIAs and did not return. But whereas Frawley appears to have returned to Leinster this week, somewhat surprisingly Nash could be seen training with the rest of the Irish squad last Tuesday.
The Munster right wing has apparently passed his ensuing HIAs and been deemed fit to play which, if so, means he is likely to be retained. Nash scored in Ireland’s wins over France and Italy, and had an assist for James Lowe against Wales, before his evening in Twickenham was cut short when he shot out of the line and collapsed to the ground following an attempted tackle on English winger Tommy Freeman.
If Nash is ruled out, defence coach Simon Easterby strongly indicated on Tuesday that Jordan Larmour, as more of a specialist winger, would be promoted rather than Ringrose, even though the latter has filled in on the wing for Leinster and trained there with Ireland.
However, it looks as if Ringrose will be included in the match-day squad for the first time in this Championship. This would be a timely reversal in fortune for Ringrose given he was ruled out of the third Test in New Zealand and the final leg of last season’s Grand Slam against England.
Ringrose missed the opening three matches of this Six Nations due to a shoulder injury which he sustained in Leinster’s Champions Cup win away to Leicester and this will be his first outing in eight weeks. However, one of the drawbacks in the 6-2 split last week - aside from restricting Ireland’s backline options off the bench, all the more so after an early injury struck - is that Ringrose was only employed as a bottle carrier in Twickenham. That seemed wasteful.
If Ringrose does feature against Scotland, he will become the 32nd player to be used by Ireland in this Six Nations.
Harry, the younger Byrne brother, did feature in the round two win over Italy when landing a late conversion. With Frawley back at Leinster this past week, Byrne would thus be next in line were the latter ruled out as there needs to be another option as both a goalkicker and outhalf. This in turn would tip the balance back to a 5-3 split with Ringrose offering additional cover in midfield and on the wing, while presumably Nash (or Larmour) could cover fullback.
[ Gerry Thornley: Good weekend for the Six Nations – if not for IrelandOpens in new window ]
In any event, it looks as if change will be kept to a minimum. In the immediate aftermath of last week’s 23-22 loss to England in Twickenham, Farrell set the tone by extolling England’s performance and stressing that Ireland still had the chance to win the championship again.
This theme was maintained by the players as well as Easterby on Tuesday. He suggested the Irish management were not of a mind to throw the baby out with the bath water following what was, after all, Ireland’s second defeat in 22 Tests, and with the last play of the game at that.
Despite the disappointment of last Saturday, this side can become only the third Irish team in history to retain the championship and so emulate the back-to-back titles of 1948/49 and 2014/15.
Ireland (possible) v Scotland: Keenan; Nash, Henshaw, Aki, Lowe; Crowley, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong; McCarthy, Beirne; O’Mahony (capt), van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Bealham, Baird, Conan, Murray, H Byrne, Ringrose.
