First ranked Ireland will face seventh-ranked Scotland in a Pool A match on 22 September at International Stadium Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City. Kickoff is at 16:45 local (03:45 ET). The match may be viewed on NBC Sports Gold live or on-demand as part of an RWC subscription package.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will have experienced backs Rob Kearney and Keith Earls out of the match against Scotland while they nurse a quad injury and a tight calf, respectively. Kearney will be replaced by the youngest member of the squad, 22-year-old Jordan Larmour. Andrew Conway, who scored a hat-trick against Scotland at U20 level in the 2010 World Championship, will replace Earls.
CJ Standler will make his Rugby World Cup debut at No.8
In the pack, fellow World Cup debutant CJ Stander has held off the challenge of Jack Coleman at number eight.
Four members of the match-day squad were in the 23 for Ireland’s last World Cup game, against Argentina four years ago: Iain Henderson, Conor Murray, Cian Healey, and Rory Best.
Best captains the side and at 37 is the oldest member of the side. He is starting his 4th RWC and is leading Ireland for the 35th time.
Jack Carty will be a reserve flyhalf ahead of Joey Carbery, who is recovering from an ankle injury sustained in Ireland’s first warm-up match against Italy.
Scotland’s Stuart McInally will captain the side on Sunday when they take on the world’s No.1-ranked side, Ireland. The 29-year-old hooker was selected in the original 31-man squad four years ago but never featured at Rugby World Cup 2015.
Head coach Gregor Townsend has selected the more experienced Ryan Wilson at No.8 over Blade Thomson, who will be a reserve. Allan Dell starts at loose-head prop over Gordon Reid, who is also among the replacements.
Blindside flanker John Barclay will become the 14th Scotland player to play in three World Cups, having made his debut in 2007 and played in three games at RWC 2011. He will join the likes of Gavin Hastings, Scott Hastings, Ross Ford, and Chris Paterson, to name four of the 13 players to have reached that level. Paterson is the only player to make a fourth World Cup participation.
Seven players that started in Scotland’s quarter-final defeat against Australia at RWC 2015 will also start against Ireland.
Squads
Ireland: 1 Cian Healy 2 Rory Best (capt.) 3 Tadhg Furlong 4 Iain Henderson 5 James Ryan 6 Peter O’Mahony 7 Josh Van der Flier 8 CJ Stander 9 Conor Murray 10 Jonathan Sexton 11 Jacob Stockdale 12 Bundee Aki 13 Garry Ringrose 14 Andrew Conway 15 Jordan Larmour 16 Niall Scannell 17 David Kilcoyne 18 Andrew Porter 19 Tadhg Beirne 20 Jack Conan 21 Luke McGrath 22 Jack Carty 23 Chris Farrell
Scotland: 1. Allan Dell 2. Stuart McInally (capt.) 3. Willem Nel 4. Grant Gilchrist 5. Jonny Gray 6. John Barclay 7. Hamish Watson 8. Ryan Wilson 9. Greig Laidlaw 10. Finn Russell 11. Sean Maitland 12. Sam Johnson 13. Duncan Taylor 14. Tommy Seymour 15. Stuart Hogg 16. Fraser Brown 17. Gordon Reid 18. Simon Berghan 19. Scott Cummings 20. Blade Thomson 21. Ali Price 22. Chris Harris 23. Darcy Graham
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) Assistant Referees: Pascal Gauzere (France) & Alexandre Ruiz TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
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