Ireland travel to face Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday in round four of the 2021 Six Nations; loosehead prop Cian Healy, hooker Rob Herring, and wing Keith Earls replace Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan Kelleher, and Jordan Larmour respectively; scrum-half Conor Murray returns to the bench
Saturday 13 March 2021 13:53, UK
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made three changes to his starting XV to face Scotland at Murrayfield in the Six Nations on Sunday, as Cian Healy, Rob Herring and Keith Earls return.
Leinster loosehead prop Healy, Ulster hooker Herring and Munster wing Earls replace Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan Kelleher and Jordan Larmour respectively, with the latter three all named among the replacements.
Indeed, the only change to the squad of 23 sees the return of scrum-half Conor Murray from injury, who replaces Munster clubmate Craig Casey on the bench but does not shift Leinster's Jamison Gibson-Park from the starting team.
Elsewhere in the side, Tadhg Beirne remains at blindside flanker, with Iain Henderson and James Ryan continuing together in the second row, while Will Connors has kept his place at openside.
CJ Stander starts again at No 8 and is in line to pick up his 50th Test cap, with captain Johnny Sexton joining Gibson-Park in the half-backs. Tadhg Furlong begins at tighthead prop, with Andrew Porter on the bench.
Leinster pair Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose combine once more in the midfield, with full-back Hugo Keenan and left wing James Lowe completing the back-three alongside Earls.
After making his debut off the bench vs Italy in Rome last time out, Leinster lock Ryan Baird has kept his place in the squad, as has club teammate and back-row Jack Conan.
Ulster's Billy Burns again provides out-half cover from the replacements, though club teammate Jacob Stockdale - who was re-added to the Ireland panel this week - has not made the squad.
Ireland have so far lost away to Wales and home to France in the 2021 championship, while they picked up victory vs Italy in Rome. They have won nine of their last 10 fixtures vs the Scots, including the last five in a row.
Their last defeat to Scotland came in 2017 at Murrayfield, but Gregor Townsend's charges have impressed this year, winning at Twickenham for the first time since 1983, and having bettered Wales until a red card turned the game.
Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (c), 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Rob Herring, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Iain Henderson, 5 James Ryan, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Will Connors, 8 CJ Stander.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Ryan Baird, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Billy Burns, 23 Jordan Larmour.
