Keith Wood returns at hooker to captain a side that also sees the inclusion of Geordan Murphy at full back; Anthony Horgan at right wing, Kevin Maggs at inside centre; Ronan O Gara and Peter Stringer at half back; Malcolm O Kelly and Paul O Connell in the second row and David Wallace at N0. 6.

The Ireland team to play Scotland is:

15 Geordan Murphy (Leicester) 14 Anthony Horgan (Munster Cork Constitution) 13 Brian O Driscoll (Leinster Blackrock College) 12 Kevin Maggs (Bath) 11 Denis Hickie (Leinster St. Mary s College) 10 Ronan O Gara (Munster Cork Constitution) 9 - Peter Stringer (Munster Cork Constitution) 1 Marcus Horan (Munster Shannon) 2 Keith Wood (Munster) Captain 3 - Reggie Corrigan (Leinster Greystones) 4 Malcolm O Kelly (Leinster St. Mary s College) 5 Paul O Connell (Munster Young Munster) 6 - David Wallace (Munster Garryowen) 7 Eric Miller (Leinster Terenure College) 8 Victor Costello (Leinster St. Mary s College)

Replacements:16 Shane Byrne (Leinster Blackrock College), 17 Simon Best (Ulster Belfast Harlequins), 18 Simon Easterby (Llanelli), 19 Kieron Dawson (London Irish), 20 Guy Easterby (Rotherham), 21 David Humphreys (Ulster Dungannon), 22 Girvan Dempsey (Leinster Terenure College).

Not considered because of injury: John Hayes (Munster Shannon), Shane Horgan (Leinster Lansdowne), John Kelly (Munster Cork Constitution).