D'Arcy set to face Scotland

Ireland centre on course to recover from bruised knee

Last updated: 16th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

D'Arcy set to face Scotland

D'Arcy: Named in starting XV

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Gordon D'Arcy looks to have won his fitness race to line up in the centres for Ireland's Triple Crown clash against Scotland at Croke Park on Saturday.

D'Arcy has been named in the starting XV despite having gone off in the win over Wales with a knee injury.

Tests showed, though, D'Arcy had only suffered heavy bruising above his left knee - and he will now face the Scots subject to a late check.

Paddy Wallace has been placed on stand-by to fill the No.12 jersey if D'Arcy is forced to pull out despite having been overlooked for the match-day squad.

Coach Declan Kidney has opted to retain the same line-up for the match - the last at Croke Park after a four-year spell at the ground.

That means winger Keith Earls, flanker David Wallace and loosehead prop Cian Healy have shaken off knocks, while Geordan Murphy continues at full-back ahead of Rob Kearney.

Victory for Ireland would hand them their fifth Triple Crown in seven years, while condemning Scotland to the wooden spoon.

Irish hopes of lifting the RBS Six Nations title, though, would then depend on England winning well in Paris against France.

Ireland: 15 G Murphy (Leicester), 14 T Bowe (Ospreys), 13 B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), 12 G D'Arcy (Leinster), 11 K Earls (Munster), 10 J Sexton (Leinster), 9 T O'Leary (Munster), 1 C Healy (Leinster), 2 R Best (Ulster), 3 J Hayes (Munster), 4 D O'Callaghan (Munster), 5 P O'Connell (Munster), 6 S Ferris (Ulster), 7 D Wallace (Munster), 8 J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: 16 S Cronin (Connacht), 17 T Buckley (Munster), 18 L Cullen (Leinster), 19 S Jennings (Leinster), 20 E Reddan (Leinster), 21 R O'Gara (Munster), 22 R Kearney (Leinster).