Dan Sheehan returns at hooker for top-ranked Ireland’s final Rugby World Cup pool match against Scotland on Saturday.
Second-placed Ireland has a four-point advantage over Scotland in Pool B and is the heavy favorite to book a quarterfinal spot. Scotland has an outside chance but has lost the past eight contests with Ireland.
Iain Henderson comes in at lock for James Ryan in the only other change from the side which beat defending champion South Africa 13-8 in a titanic encounter.
Sheehan sprained a foot ligament six weeks ago in the warmup win over England in Dublin. He was in contention to start against the Springboks but coach Andy Farrell held him from that ferocious clash.
He takes over from Ronan Kelleher at Stade de France, where flanker Peter O’Mahony will win his 100th Ireland cap. He becomes the 10th player to reach the milestone for Ireland, following in the footsteps of flyhalf Jonathan Sexton, scrumhalf Conor Murray and winger Keith Earls, who are all in the matchday 23 against Scotland.
“There’s no better man you’d want sat alongside you than Peter O’Mahony,” Farrell said. “He’s a selfless player who gives everything to his teammates and backs that up with consistent performances week in, week out.”
Sexton seconded that, and added that his friend is a somewhat mysterious figure.
“He’s very different to some of the other leaders. You don’t get to see the real Peter O’Mahony, he gives very little away in public,” Sexton said. “But he’s the life and soul of the group behind closed doors.”
Centers Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose start their 24th test together, while Ryan and Kelleher are both on the bench.
The Scots are in confident mood after their B side routed Romania 84-0. But now it’s time for serious business, and Ireland beat Scotland 22-7 at this year’s Six Nations.
Coach Gregor Townsend has been boosted by the return of captain and flanker Jamie Ritchie, who suffered a head injury from Tonga winger Afusipa Taumoepeau two weeks ago and had to take a mandatory 12-day rest.
Townsend changed most of the side that started against Romania, retaining only right winger Darcy Graham — who scored four tries in that lopsided match — scrumhalf Ali Price and lock Grant Gilchrist.
Fullback Blair Kinghorn wins his 50th cap for Scotland, while Price links up with Finn Russell in the halves.
Zander Fagerson, George Turner and Pierre Schoeman will form Scotland’s front row.
Only Fagerson, lock Richie Gray, Russell and center Huw Jones remain from the starting 15 from Scotland’s last win against Ireland, 27-22 in the Six Nations in 2017.
Henderson is wary of Scotland’s lineout threat, and says the Irish need to tighten up theirs.
“There have been a handful of times over the past number of months where the lineout hasn’t gone well. The first three or four lineouts (against South Africa) didn’t go the way we wanted,” Henderson said. “Scotland have a good lineout defense, we know it’s a big area they will look to target. But we have a plan and we have confidence in that.” - AP
History
Played 140, Ireland won 69, Scotland won 66, 5 drawn
TAB odds
Ireland $1.13, Scotland $5.75, Draw $26
How to watch
Sky Sport 1 from 7.45am Sunday
Herald prediction
Ireland 25 Scotland 15
Lineups
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jonathan Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter. Reserves: Ronan Kelleher, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls.
Scotland: Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ali Price; Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Jamie Ritchie (captain), Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, Zander Fagerson, George Turner, Pierre Schoeman. Reserves: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Luke Crosbie, George Horne, Ollie Smith.
