Dillane & Marmion named for 6 Nations opener

The Ireland coaching group have named the match day 23 that will travel to Edinburgh to take on Scotland at Murrayfield on the opening weekend of the 2017 RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Rory Best captains the side on his 101^st cap for Ireland and is joined in the front row by Tadhg Furlong and Jack McGrath.  Devin Toner and Iain Henderson line out in the second row with CJ Stander, Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip filling the backrow spots.

Conor Murray and Paddy Jackson are the half-back combination with Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose partnering in midfield.  Rob Kearney is named at fullback with Simon Zebo and Keith Earls on the wings.

Niall Scannell, Cian Healy, John Ryan, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, Kieran Marmion, Ian Keatley and Tommy Bowe are named in the replacements.

IRELAND team to play Scotland – Saturday 4^th February, 2017, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 72 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 54 caps 
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps
12. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 24 caps
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 28 caps
10. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 19 caps
9.  Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 53 caps

8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 91 caps vc
7. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster) 44 caps
6. CJ Stander (Munster) 10 caps
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 42 caps
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 28 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 11 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 100 caps captain
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's/Leinster) 36 caps

Replacements
16. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) uncapped
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 62 caps
18. John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 1 cap
19. Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 8 caps
20. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 5 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 9 caps
22. Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 4 caps
23. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 67 caps

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