The 15 men facing Ireland tomorrow:
15 Stuart Hogg
Age: 20
Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in)
Weight: 83kg (13st 1lb)
He is an excellent broken field runner, deceptively strong through the tackle and very quick.
14 Sean Maitland
Age: 24
Height: 1.89m (6ft 2in)
Weight: 97kg (15st 3lb)
The former junior All Black has the pace of a sprinter (10.8 seconds).Tough to catch and corral.
13 Sean Lamont
Age: 32
Height: 1.88m (6ft 2in)
Weight: 95kg (14st 13lb)
He may be a converted winger but he has plenty of experience playing in the centre.
12 Matthew Scott
Age: 22
Height: 1.87m (6ft 2in)
Weight: 94 (14st 11lb)
He has a tendency to be a little impetuous at times in shooting out of the defensive line. It’s a dangerous gambit and one that Ireland can exploit using the blindside wing.
11 Tim Visser
Age: 25
Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)
Weight: 106kg (16st 9lb)
The evidence of his try-scoring ability is there in black and white as the Pro12’s leading finisher over the past few seasons. He’s quick, strong and good in the air.
10 Ruaridh Jackson
Age: 25
Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in)
Weight: 85kg (13st 5lb)
Ireland would dearly love to get their backrow motoring through this channel. He likes to give the ball some air and his fundamentals are solid.
9 Greig Laidlaw
Age: 27
Height: 1.75m (5ft 9in)
Weight: 82kg (12st 12lb)
He’s chopped and changed between scrumhalf and outhalf, so is comfortable when acting as first receiver from rucks when Jackson isn’t around.
1 Ryan Grant
Age: 27
Height: 1.83m (6ft)
Weight: 109kg (17st 2lb)
His battle with Mike Ross will go a long way towards deciding which scrum can give their team a set-piece advantage.
2 Ross Ford
Age: 28
Height: 1.85m (6ft 1in)
Weight: 102kg (16st)
Throwing to several pine trees in the back five has helped the one area of his game that was considered a periodic weakness.
3 Geoff Cross
Age: 30
Height: 1.85m (6ft 1in)
Weight: 115kg (18st 1lb)
He’s deputising for Euan Murray and while nothing like as attritional in the scrum as the man he replaces, he contributes more around the pitch.
4 Richie Gray
Age: 23
Height: 2.05m (6ft 9in)
Weight: 120kg (18st 12lb)
A superb athlete, he is his team’s main lineout option and a proper nuisance on the opposition throw. As a strong contender for the Lions he’ll be keen for a prominent display.
5 Jim Hamilton
Age: 30
Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in)
Weight: 126kg (19st 11lb)
He’s a huge man and not the easiest to lift. Strong physically in rucks and mauls, his lack of mobility can be exploited around the fringes, especially if he’s on his own.
6 Rob Harley
Age: 22
Height: 1.97m (6ft 6in)
Weight: 110kg (17st 4lb)
He’s there as a lineout option and while he is athletic he’s not the most punishing ball-carrier. The Scots will use him to pick off ball to the back of the lineout.
7 Kelly Brown (capt)
Age: 30
Height: 1.93. (6ft 4in)
Weight: 106kg (16st 9lb)
His skill set doesn’t include the groundhog duty of the old school number seven. He gets around in both attack and defence but rarely impacts conspicuously and consistently.
8 Johnnie Beattie
Age: 27
Height: 1.93 (6ft 4in)
Weight: 106kg (16st 9lb)
A very skilful, ball-playing number eight, he has benefited hugely from his time in France. He possesses excellent hands and the looser the game the better.
