SCOTLAND TEAM NEWS: Chris Paterson, overlooked for a starting role by Scotland coach Frank Hadden thus far in this Six Nations campaign, is back in the side to face Ireland at Murrayfield this Saturday. Hadden has made two changes to his starting line-up and has also to finalise his second row selection.
Paterson, Scotland’s record points scorer and most capped player (93), comes in for his Edinburgh teammate Hugo Southwell at fullback. The other change sees Alasdair Dickinson replace fellow prop Allan Jacobsen, who underwent shoulder surgery last week and will be out for up to four months.
There could also be changes in the second row, with Hadden naming four players as possible selections for the two spots. Jason White and Alastair Kellock — who both started against Italy — could be replaced by one or both of the fit-again Jim Hamilton and Nathan Hines.
Hamilton has shaken off the shoulder injury he sustained against France last month. Hines has yet to feature in the tournament due to a serious knee injury but he has made a quicker than expected recovery.
Hadden said: “It will be a close call in the second row but, clearly, we’ll go with the players we believe give us the best chance of creating the sort of platform that we’ll need to win against a fine Irish team.
“I’ve been impressed with Chris Paterson’s attitude in this championship. As ever, he’s been the model professional, getting on with his job, and he deserves the opportunity to start on this occasion.”
Paterson, though, is not sure what he has done to earn a recall. He is his own biggest critic and has chosen to play down the 11 points he kicked at crucial times in the win against Italy just over a week ago.
“To be honest, I never really did much in the Italy game,” he said. “The second half especially was quite quiet. I think that everyone across the board thought that.
“Two very good tries but, outside that, there wasn’t really a flow to the game, and I was really disappointed after that game because I thought, ‘Individually, what did you contribute? You never did a huge amount’.”
Ireland will arrive at Murrayfield on Saturday looking to maintain their Grand Slam bid after winning three games from three, while their hosts only got off the mark last time out.
The visitors have also been Scotland’s bogey team in recent seasons, having emerged victorious in the last seven Six Nations games between the sides.
Paterson said: “Ireland are in the position where they’re the only team who can win the Grand Slam.
“I think they’re good enough to do it but it’s up to us to stop that on Saturday and the way you do that is concentrate on yourself and not concentrate on Ireland.
“If we get our game right and work on other things, there’s no sense in thinking about them and what they may do or may not do. It’s what we can do.”
Hadden has also delayed finalising his substitutes for the game, with back three star Rory Lamont making a surprise recovery from the ankle ligament damage he suffered in December.
The one definite change from the 22 for the Italy game sees Glasgow prop Moray Low provide back-up to Dickinson and Euan Murray.
Southwell drops to the bench, with Lamont, flanker Kelly Brown, centre Nick De Luca and one of Hadden’s pool of locks looking set to compete for the final two spots.
Scotland(v Ireland): C Paterson (Edinburgh); S Danielli (Ulster), M Evans (Glasgow Warriors), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), T Evans (Glasgow Warriors); P Godman (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh); A Dickinson (Gloucester), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton Saints); AN Other, AN Other; A Strokosch (Gloucester), J Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), S Taylor (Stade Francais).
Replacements:D Hall (Glasgow Warriors), M Low (Glasgow Warriors), AN Other, S Gray (Northampton Saints), C Cusiter (Perpignan), AN Other, H Southwell (Edinburgh)
