Paterson, Jackson and Beattie to face Ireland

CHRIS Paterson, Ruaridh Jackson and Johnnie Beattie are all poised for call-ups to the Scotland team today with the full backing of their club coaches.

The Scotland team to play Ireland at Murrayfield will be announced today and shows a host of changes to that which lost 24-6 to Wales at home 11 days ago, some enforced and some reflecting poor displays in that low point of Andy Robinson’s tenure.

Glasgow prop Moray Low will take over from Euan Murray at tighthead prop, Murray being unavailable due to his religious beliefs and the game falling on a Sunday, while Richie Gray is also expected to return to the second row in place of Nathan Hines after a stomach bug kept him out of the Wales match. The other change in the pack is expected in the back row where Beattie will take over from Vernon, who has been struggling with a calf injury picked up towards the end of the match with Wales.

Jackson is awarded his first start for Scotland, having won three caps off the bench against New Zealand, Samoa and France. Paterson will be back in the No 15 jersey after coach Robinson lost the services of his starting choice Hugo Southwell and rival Rory Lamont to injury. The Borderer last started an international against Wales over a year ago, in what was his 100th Test match, and suffered a kidney injury that kept him out of the game until this season.

Nick Scrivener, the Edinburgh coach, believes Paterson will make a significant mark on his return against Ireland on Sunday, while his counterpart at Glasgow, Sean Lineen, is confident that stand-off Jackson is ready to take over the reins from Dan Parks for his first Test start and that Beattie is now fit enough to return after nearly seven months recovering from a shoulder operation.