Scotland have refused to implement panic measures in the wake of their 34-20 defeat by Italy in Rome last Saturday and instead have made only one change to their squad for the Six Nations match against Ireland in Dublin on February 19th. The only change, announced yesterday, is Graham Shiel in for Alan Bulloch but coach Ian McGeechan has also added George Graham, the Newcastle Falcons prop and one of the Scotland successes in the World Cup.

Shiel comes in on the back of a strong performance in Scotland A's 23-16 win over their Italian counterparts last Friday in Correfello, and would seem to be the best cover for John Leslie should he not regain fitness. Leicester second-rower Martin Johnson will miss England's Six Nations showdown with France in Paris on February 19th after suffering from mild concussion, his club manager said yesterday. Johnson, England's captain during last year's World Cup, was hurt when he collided with Leicester team-mate Craig Joiner in a training ground accident on Tuesday.

He was detained in hospital overnight before being discharged yesterday. The 29-yearold is not seriously injured but players who are concussed have to miss games for a statutory three-week period.

Scotland (squad v Ireland): Backs: D Hodge (Edinburgh), J Leslie (Newcastle, capt), K Logan (Wasps), S Longstaff (Glasgow), J McLaren (Bourgoin-Jallieu), J Mayer (Bristol), G Metcalfe (Glasgow), A Nicol (Glasgow), B Redpath (Narbonne), G Shiel (Edinburgh), G Townsend (Brive). Forwards: G Bulloch (Glasgow), G Graham (Newcastle), S Grimes (Newcastle), D Hilton (Glasgow), M Leslie (Edinburgh), S Murray (Saracens), B Pountney (Northampton), S Reid (Narbonne), R Russell (Saracens), G Simpson (Glasgow), T Smith (Brive), M Stewart (Northampton), D Weir (Newcastle).