Expected Ireland team to face Scotland - 2026 Six Nations Round 5

Tuesday, 10 March 2026 at 10:45

byTom Sansom

Ireland have an outsiders shot at winning the 2026 Six Nations this weekend, as they host Scotland in the first match of Super Saturday's trilogy. The Triple Crown is also on the line for this upcoming Celtic clash at the Aviva Stadium, with it all to play for this weekend in Dublin.

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Ireland are enjoying a buoyant return to winning form, having successfully bounced back from their first round defeat in Paris. The Emerald Islanders have racked up a solid run of three consecutive victories in the 2026 Six Nations, having defeated Italy, England and Wales. Ireland battled against a valiant Welsh outfit this past Friday night, for a strong 27-17 win under the Dublin floodlights.

Scotland had a win for the ages the next day, as Gregor Townsend's men hosted France at Murrayfield for an all-time Six Nations classic. The Scots raced away to a hot-start, and bagged a half-century of points against Fabien Galthie's men by mid-way through the second half. Les Bleus rallied back, yet the damage had already been done for the 50-40 final score.

So, with it all to play for between the two in-form sides, here's RUCK predictions as to how expect the Ireland team to look, ahead of Thursday's announcement.

PREDICTION: IRELAND TEAM TO FACE SCOTLAND - SIX NATIONS

BACK THREE

15. JAMIE OSBORNE (LEINSTER)

14. ROBERT BALOUCOUNE (ULSTER)

11. JACOB STOCKDALE (ULSTER)

We commence our predicted picks for the final Ireland match day squad of the 2026 Six Nations, with Jamie Osborne once again holding down the 15 jersey. The Leinster man has made the spot his own in the absence of Hugo Keenan, and held off a returning Tommy O'Brien to retain his place against Wales. Partnering him in the back-field is the Ulster duo of Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale, with Stockdale back onto the score-sheet this past Friday night against Wales.

Stockdale had to bide his time for a return to the Six Nations, having been left out of the plans since the opening round defeat to France. However, James Lowe's groin injury opens the door for Stockdale to come back into the fold, to line-up alongside his in-form provincial teammate Rob Baloucoune. The Cat will be eyeing up another inspired performance, to nail down his name for the Summer trip to Australia and New Zealand, should Mack Hansen return in time for the away leg of the Nations Championship.

CENTRES

13. GARRY RINGROSE (LEINSTER)

12. STUART MCCLOSKEY (ULSTER)

We don't expect any changes in the midfield, yet we can see Bundee Aki take a seat on the bench for a second half impact involvement to close out the campaign. We have not seen the Connacht man in action throughout the entirety of the 2026 Six Nations, with a ban for descent ruling him out for the clashes with France, Italy and England.

Aki was eligible to play against Wales, and even returned to the training camp alongside Robbie Henshaw as the Leinster midfielder made a full recovery from his knee injury, sustained against Bayonne back in the January Champions Cup match. However, neither Aki or Henshaw have been able to shift Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey, who have formed a formidable midfield partnership - with the Ulster centre in the spotlight on track for a potential Player of the Championship award.

HALFBACKS

10. JACK CROWLEY (MUNSTER)

9. JAMISON GIBSON-PARK (LEINSTER)

Once again, we don't expect any variation upon the halfback axis for the closing Ireland match of the Six Nations. We expect Jamison Gibson-Park to keep his place in the nine jersey, having collected his 50th Test cap this past Friday night against Wales. Gibson-Park backed up his stellar performance against England with a strong outing against Steve Tandy's side, in the hopes of keeping this form firing for a solid finish to the Championship.

Last time out, Ulster scrum half Nathan Doak replaced Gibson-Park from the bench, to make his Ireland debut. However, we can see Andy Farrell calling upon Craig Casey to reinforce the bench, to close out the high-stakes match with his tried and tested Munster teammate Jack Crowley at out-half. Crowley has stamped his name upon the 10 jersey throughout this Championship, with Sam Prendergast falling out of the frame for now, with the versatile Ciaran Frawley reinforcing the replacement backs.

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FRONT ROW

1. TOM O'TOOLE (ULSTER)

2. DAN SHEEHAN (LEINSTER)

3. FINLAY BEALHAM (CONNACHT)

Onto the forward pack now, and there is an immediate change at tight-head following the tough scrum time efforts against Wales. We could see a plausible future in which Tadhg Furlong gets dropped for the final week of the 2026 Six Nations, as the veteran Leinster and Lions man has been underwhelming after returning from his problematic calf injury. The 84-capped Ireland prop struggled against Italy and Wales at the set-piece, with Connacht's corn-rowed colossus Finlay Bealham our pick to start at tight-head.

The latest news from the Ireland camp is that Munster loose-head Jeremy Loughman will play no part in Ireland's upcoming clash with Scotland. We expect Andy Farrell to promote Tom O'Toole to the starting XV, as the Ulster forward continues his international shift from tight-head to the loose-head pillar. The hooker shirt is retained by Dan Sheehan once again, with Ronan Kelleher, Michael Milne and Thomas Clarkson our predicted replacement front row.

LOCKS

4. JAMES RYAN (LEINSTER)

5. JOE MCCARTHY (LEINSTER)

Onto the engine room, and Andy Farrell could make a slight alteration to the side that took on Wales this past Friday night. Having made such a tremendous impact from the bench, we can see Joe McCarthy slot straight back into the starting team for Super Saturday's hosting of Scotland. This bumps Tadhg Beirne out of his spot in the row, with Munster's ironman expected to shuffle across to the blind-side flank.

We can see James Ryan retain his place in the second row, in what is arguably the most straight-forward area to predict within the entire Ireland squad. Ryan has been a steady workhorse for Andy Farrell's side, with gutsy, lung-bursting performances nailing his colours to the starting mast in the injury enforced absence of Ryan Baird. With momentum on his side, James Ryan would love nothing less than another top performance to keep his spot for the Nations Championship.

BACK ROW

6. TADHG BEIRNE (MUNSTER)

7. JOSH VAN DER FLIER (LEINSTER)

8. CAELAN DORIS (LEINSTER)

Rounding off our predicted picks for the final Ireland squad of the 2026 Men's Guinness Six Nations, we return to the aformentioned move of Tadhg Beirne into the back row. We expect the Munster stalwart to hold down the blindside flank once again, before a second-half shift on the cards back into the locks. With the likes of Nick Timoney and Jack Conan providing back row cover from the bench, Beirne will once again pull double duty in our predicted playbook.

Partnering up with Beirne in the back row to begin with, is Josh van der Flier on the openside flank and the captain Caelan Doris holding down the number eight spot. This trio looks like the strongest viable Ireland back row on paper, in what is a crucial must win match for Andy Farrell's men with both the Triple Crown and a potential shot at the 2026 Six Nations title on the line at the Aviva Stadium.