Ireland coach Ciarán Fitzgerald will have stressed the importance of tonight's game at Thomond Park, writes John O'Sullivan.

Ireland require a victory over the Scots and in the next match against Italy to copper-fasten a place at this summer's IRB under-21 World Cup in South Africa. The top four teams in the Six Nations Championship qualify by right. Ireland have already lost their first two outings, against Wales (38-36) and England (28-23).

The return of Galwegians and Connacht centre Gavin Duffy - he missed the first two games - will add much needed creativity and guile to the midfield. Outhalf Ian Humphreys misses the match, having been concussed against England, and so Barry Lynn moves from centre to outhalf.

UCD's Eoghan Hickey comes into the replacements. The Scots lost their opening game against England (31-16) and were shocked 6-3 by Italy.

IRELAND U-21: S Young (Ballymena); M McPhail (UL Bohemian), G Duffy (Galwegians), C O'Sullivan (UCC), C McPhillips (St Mary's); B Lynn (St Mary's), B O'Riordan (UCD); J Lyne (Lansdowne), K Corrigan (UCD), B Young (Ballymena); S Keogh (UCC), M McCullough (Ballymena, capt); D Leamy (UCC), R Wilson (Dublin University), N McMillan (Ballymena). Replacements: R Best (Newcastle University), S Phillips (Saracens), M Carroll (Blackrock), C Hartigan (Garryowen), F Murphy (UCC), E Hickey (UCD), J Norton (St Mary's).

SCOTLAND U-21: J Blackwood (Melrose); N Walker (Hawick), S Webster (Northampton), M Dey (Heriot's FP), C MacRae (Gala); N Stenhouse (Hawick), M Blair (Boroughmuir); W Scott (Newcastle), S Lawson (Biggar), A Kelly (Ayr); B MacFarlane (Stirling County), A Kellock (Stirling County); R Halliday (Newcastle University), K Brown (Melrose), C Eadie (Stirling County). Replacements: S Swankie (Dunfermline), M Thompson (Kircaldy), M Rennie (Newcastle), P Skillen (Bristol), R Lawson (Heriot's FP), A Monro (Heriot's FP), J Pattison (Newcastle).

Ireland U-21 v Scotland U-21