By Shamrock
March 7 2012
Rory Best has been passed fit to lead Ireland against Scotland this weekend ......
Best suffered a rib injury against France but will be in the front row and takes on the captaincy in the absence of Paul O’Connell.
O’Connell is replaced in the starting XV by Donnacha Ryan while Eoin Reddan starts at scrum-half in place of Conor Murray, who bruised his knee joint in the 17-17 draw with France.
Best says:“It's something growing up that you dream of,” he said.
“It's very unfortunate what has happened to Paulie but I was obviously very honoured when Declan asked me to captain the side.”
Ireland must beat Scotland to keep their title hopes alive.
Ireland:
15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10. Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9. Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
6. Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7. Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17. Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18. Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
19. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20. Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
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