Schmidt Unveils Team For Six Nations Opener

Iain Henderson's inclusion in the second row is the main talking point in Joe Schmidt's starting fifteen for Ireland's Six Nations opener. 

Iain Henderson's inclusion in the second row is the main talking point in Joe Schmidt's starting fifteen for Ireland's Six Nations opener. 

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With Ultane Dillane named on the bencb, there's no place in the matchday squad for Donnacha Ryan. 

As expected, Paddy Jackson replaces Jonathan Sexton at out-half, with Ian Keatley providing back-up on the bench. 

Andrew Trimble misses out with a groin injury, so the wings will be manned by Keith Earls and Simon Zebo. 

Schmidt says Sexton has an outside chance of being fit for the trip to Italy, while Peter O'Mahony is highly unlikely to travel to Rome due to his hamstring injury. 

And the head coach says Jackson is more than capable of wearing the number 10 jersey at Murrayfield. 

Meanwhile

102-cap hooker Ross Ford's replaced by Fraser Brown for in Scotland's starting fifteen for that game. 

That's one of three changes head coach Vern Cotter's made for Saturday's game at Murrayfield compared with the side that beat Georgia in November.

Josh Strauss replaces Glasgow team-mate Rob Harley in the back row, with centre Huw Jones in for Mark Bennett.