Scotland make two backline changes for Ireland clash

Scotland have made two backline changes in their side for Saturday’s final Six Nations Championship fixture against Ireland in Dublin, with centre Stafford McDowall and scrumhalf Ben White selected to start.

They replace Cameron Redpath and George Horne respectively, who both drop to the bench following last weekend’s 31-29 loss to Italy in Rome that put a near fatal dent in Scotland’s title hopes.

Coach Gregor Townsend was bitterly disappointed in the wake of that defeat but has resisted making wholesale changes and left his pack untouched, reverting to a 5-3 split between forwards and backs on the bench.

Your Scotland team for Saturday's game against Ireland has been confirmed 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

More ➡️ https://t.co/X0S5OMSzLI pic.twitter.com/awNbNpYEQy

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 14, 2024

Scotland can overhaul Ireland at the top of the table but must win with a bonus point and deny their opponents one at the same time, while also overcoming a 76-point swing on points-difference, something that would require an extraordinary, and most unlikely, result.

Scotland team:

15-Blair Kinghorn, 14-Kyle Steyn, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Stafford McDowall, 11-Duhan van der Merwe, 10-Finn Russell (co-captain), 9-Ben White; 1-Pierre Schoeman, 2-George Turner, 3-Zander Fagerson, 4-Grant Gilchrist, 5-Scott Cummings, 6-Andy Christie, 7-Rory Darge (co-captain), 8-Jack Dempsey

Replacements: 16-Ewan Ashman, 17-Rory Sutherland, 18-Elliot Millar-Mills, 19-Sam Skinner, 20-Matt Fagerson, 21-George Horne, 22-Cameron Redpath, 23-Kyle Rowe.