Ireland v Scotland: Team line-ups, kick-off time, key quotes, predictions, odds and where to watch on TV
Our guide to Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash between Ireland and Scotland in Dublin includes team news, predictions, statistics and more.
What time is kick off & what channel is it on?
The match, which takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, will start at 1645 GMT on Saturday February 1 and will be screened live on ITV.
Ireland v Scotland: Team news
Ireland team: Larmour; Conway, Ringrose, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Healy, Herring, Furlong; Henderson, Ryan; Stander, van der Flier, Doris.
Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Porter, Toner, O'Mahony, Cooney, Byrne, Henshaw.
Scotland team: Hogg; Maitland, Jones, Johnson, Kinghorn, Hastings, Price; Sutherland, Brown, Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, Ritchie, Watson, Haining.
Replacements: McInally, Dell, Berghan, Toolis, Du Preez, Horne, Hutchinson, Harris.
Ireland v Scotland: Odds and tips
England begin their Six Nations quest with a tough away fixture which they are 1/10 to win. Scotland, 11/2 for victory, are a 13-point handicap start by Sky Bet.
Tony Calvin preview: I am not going mad on the stakes front here, as Ireland hardly come in on the crest of a wave, but it is the home side on the general -13 handicap (evens with Betfair) for me.
Ireland v Scotland: Inside the camps
- Ireland's Johnny Sexton
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton admits to being unsure how the absence of influential stand-off Finn Russell will affect opponents Scotland during Saturday's Guinness Six Nations opener.
Russell will not be involved at the Aviva Stadium after being disciplined for breaching team rules, with Adam Hastings selected as his replacement.
"It's like for like really. When you talk about Finn Russell's strengths, you're talking about Adam Hastings' strengths, they're all the same," said Sexton.
"I don't know how it will disrupt them, they've sort of played it down a little bit.
"They seem to be happy with where they're at and he (Hastings) is a quality player and one that we are going to have to be fully switched on for because he has a full bag of tricks that he can pull out."
Fly-half Sexton has not played since suffering a knee injury playing for Leinster in early December but insists he is "raring to go" following a training camp in Portugal.
"Yeah, great. No setbacks really to talk about," said the 34-year-old.
"It felt good on Thursday in Portugal and I've done pretty much everything since, so delighted to be fit and raring to go now."
- Scotland's Gregor Townsend
"I don't know if we have a point to prove. What I can say is that the team have prepared really well, the intensity levels and communication in training have been excellent.
"Things have gone well, but we know mindset has a big part to play in high-level sport.
"We have to be focused, confident and prepared to do the tough stuff at the weekend.
"It's a new team. We know the performance in Yokohama wasn't anywhere near good enough but this is a new team. The players are looking forward rather than back."
"It's important we are in the game and we stay in the fight for as long as possible. We are looking to impose our game on Ireland but we know that won't be easy.
"When you play a team like Ireland, who have so much quality and they are on their own patch, it's pretty clear they will bring their own energy and their own game.
"The first 20-30 minutes will be tough and we need to be up for that, we need to enjoy the defensive side of the game.
"Ireland, out of all the teams in world rugby, make you tackle the most. There will be high tackle numbers.
"It may change with a new coach, but we don't think so, we think the formula will be the along similar lines. They have selected an experienced squad."
Ireland v Scotland: Recent meetings
2016 Six Nations: Ireland 35-25 (Dublin)
2017 Six Nations: Scotland 27-22 Ireland (Murrayfield)
2018 Six Nations: Ireland 28-8 Scotland (Dublin)
2019 Six Nations: Scotland 13-22 Ireland (Murrayfield)
2020 World Cup: Ireland 27-3 Scotland (Japan)
Six Nations fixtures
Round One (February 1-2)
- Wales v Italy, Saturday Feb 1, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff; BBC and S4C; Ref - Luke Pearce (England)
- Ireland v Scotland, Saturday Feb 1, 4.45pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin; ITV; Ref - Mathieu Raynal (France)
- France v England, Sunday Feb 2, 3pm, Stade de France, Paris; BBC; Ref - Nigel Owens (Wales)
Round Two (February 8-9)
- Ireland v Wales, Saturday Feb 8, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin; ITV and S4C; Ref - Romain Poite (France)
- Scotland v England, Saturday Feb 8, 4.45pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh; BBC; Ref - Pascal Gauzere (France)
- France v Italy, Sunday Feb 9, 3.00pm, Stade de France, Paris; BBC; Ref - Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Round Three (February 22-23)
- Italy v Scotland, Saturday Feb 22, 2.15pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome; ITV: Ref - Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
- Wales v France, Saturday Feb 22, 4.45pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff; BBC and S4C; Ref - Matt Carley (England)
- England v Ireland, Sunday Feb 23, 3.00pm, Twickenham, London; ITV; Ref - Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Round Four (March 7-8)
- Ireland v Italy, Saturday Mar 7, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin; BBC and S4C; Ref - Nic Berry (South Africa)
- England v Wales, Saturday Mar 7, 4.45pm, Twickenham, London; ITV; Ref - Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
- Scotland v France, Sunday Mar 8, 3.00pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh; BBC; Ref - Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Round Five (March 14)
- Wales v Scotland, Saturday Mar 14, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff; BBC and S4C; Ref - Angus Gardner (Australia)
- Italy v England, Saturday Mar 14, 4.45pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome; ITV; Ref - Pascal Gauzere (France)
- France v Ireland, Saturday Mar 14, 8.00pm, Stade de France, Paris; BBC; Ref - Wayne Barnes (England)