Scotland Team To Play Ireland

Glasgow Warriors Rob Harley will make his second start for Scotland while Warriors team-mate, prop Jon Welsh, has been recalled to the Scotland matchday 23 for the first time since his involvement with the national side was cut short during the 2012 summer tour.Welsh, who underwent shoulder surgery on his return from the South Pacific, has put in some powerful appearances for the Warriors since getting back involved with the squad and is set to feature this weekend against Ireland in the RBS 6 Nations.Meanwhile, also on the bench, Dougie Hall has recovered from the knee injury he sustained against England and is restored as replacement hooker.In total there are 12 Warriors involved in the matchday squad: Ryan Grant, Rob Harley; Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont, Sean Maitland, Stuart Hogg, Dougie Hall, Moray Low, Jon Welsh, Alastair Kellock, Henry Pyrgos and Duncan Weir.Geoff Cross, the 30-year-old Edinburgh Rugby prop, returns to the Scotland starting line-up for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship meeting with Ireland at Murrayfield.Cross, who scored a try against New Zealand in his last start for Scotland, is the only change from the team that began the 34-10 victory over Italy earlier this month.Cross replaces Euan Murray, the Worcester tight-head, who is unavailable for this weekend as a result of his Christian faith.Our Warriors captain Alastair Kellock will become the 34th Scot to reach the landmark of 50 caps for his country if he is introduced to the action from the bench.Scotland interim head coach Scott Johnson said: We have to improve on our last game and that’s been our theme at training all week.I make no apology for saying again that we have to step up our work in the contact area._ Yes, weve some talented athletes in the squad , but we have to give them the opportunities.It’s good to see players challenging for selection – and there are a number consistently putting their hands up, which is exactly what we want to see.But weve kept changes to a minimum and are saying to the players: Youve won one game. Now go out show us you can win another.Just over 1800 tickets remain for Sunday’s match and can be bought via the 24 hour credit card hotline 0844 335 3933; via our website www.scottishrugby.org or in person from the Ticket Centre at Murrayfield Stadium which is open_ until 5pm tonight (Wednesday), then 9am-8pm tomorrow and Friday and from 10am-4pm on Saturday.The Scotland v Ireland clash in the RBS 6 Nations is just one part of a massive double header of competition between the two Celtic nations as Glasgow Warriors take on Ulster on Friday night, in a top of the table clash in the RaboDirect PRO12. Just a few hundred tickets still remain for the encounter and supporters can save a fiver by buying before midnight on the day of the game. Tickets are available online or by calling the ticket office on 0844 800 3490Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play Ireland in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on_ Sunday 24 February_ at Murrayfield (kick-off 2pm)15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps, 3 tries, 15 points14 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps, 1 try, 5 points13 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 73 caps, 9 tries, 45 points12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 9 caps, 1 try, 5 points11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) 7 caps, 5 tries, 25 points10 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 17 caps, 2 conversions, 2 penalties, 2 drop-goals, 16 points9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) vice-captain, 15 caps, 2 tries, 16 conversions and 26 penalties, 120 points1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) vice-captain, 7 caps2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 65 caps, 2 tries, 10 points3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby) 18 caps, 1 try, 5 points4 Richie Gray (Sale Sharks) 29 caps, 1 try, 5 points5 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 43 caps, 1 try, 5 points6 Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps, 1 try, 5 points7 Kelly Brown (Saracens) captain, 54 caps, 4 tries, 20 points8 Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier) 18 caps, 3 tries, 15 pointsSubstitutes16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), 40 caps, 1 try, 5 points17 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors), 1 cap18 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 16 caps19 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 49 caps, 1 try, 5 points20 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) 11 caps21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps, 1 try, 5 points22 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps, 1 conversion, 2 points23 Max Evans (Castres) 34 caps, 3 tries, 15 pointsUnavailable through injury: Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Chris Cusiter and Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist and Ross Rennie (both Edinburgh Rugby).Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)._ Assistant referees: Jerome Garces (France) and Greg Garner (England)._ TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)