Ireland to follow-up Wales win in second World Cup warm-up with Scots

Wasps number 10 Ruaridh Jackson moves to full back and unfamiliar 15 shirt. Hooker Fraser Brown, usually a replacement player, is starting for the first time with Ryan Grant and Jon Welsh packing the front row. Scotland are missing Stuart McInally, however, through illness.

Recalled Richie Vernon will be making his first international appearance in two years, after moving from number 8 to centre with Pro12 champions Glasgow. At 8/1 for a try, he will have to be strong.

Vernon’s Warriors clubmate and prop Mike Cusack will be on the bench, and is highly likely to be handed his Scotland debut by coach Vern Cotter. Team news for both sides, with replacements, can be found in full below.

If the two previous meetings at the Aviva Stadium are any indicator, a healthy Ireland win is on the cards. The 16-20 bracket for margin of victory is the least Schmidt can expect on home turf, and that outcome holds nifty 9/2 odds.

Ireland: Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Ian Madigan, Issac Boss, Dave Kilcoyne, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Dan Tuohy, Jack Conan, Chris Henry, Sean O’Brien (C)

Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Michael Bent, Nathan White, Paul O’Connell, Jordi Murphy. Eoin Reddan, Paddy Jackson, Dave Kearney.

Scotland: Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont, Richie Vernon, Peter Horne, Tim Visser, Greig Tonks, Henry Pyrgos (C), Ryan Grant, Fraser Brown, Jon Welsh, Jim Hamilton, Grant Gilchrist, Blair Cowan, Hugh Blake, David Denton.

Replacements: Ross Ford, Gordon Reid, Mike Cusack, Robert Harley, John Barclay, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Duncan Weir, Matt Scott.

Coral’s top tip: To enhance their odds-on price for victory, back Ireland to win by a margin of 16-20 points at 9/2.