Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made a bold selection call for Sunday’s clash against Six Nations champions Ireland at Murrayfield.

Loosehead prop Rory Sutherland starts ahead of South African powerhouse Pierre Schoeman in one of three changes as the Scots look to end a long losing streak versus the Irish.

Sutherland, 32, will win his 39th Scotland cap but it is only his seventh Test start since representing the British & Irish Lions in 2021. Schoeman, Scotland’s first-choice loosehead since his Test debut four years ago, is on the bench.

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Elsewhere in the pack, Jack Dempsey returns at No 8, with former captain Jamie Ritchie now among the replacements.

Meanwhile, the versatile Tom Jordan replaces Stafford McDowall at centre in the other change to the starting XV that beat Italy 31-19 in their Six Nations opener in Edinburgh last week. Jordan pairs up alongside Huw Jones, who scored a hat-trick of tries against Italy.

Scotland have lost their last 10 Tests against Ireland, who began their bid for an unprecedented third straight Six Nations title with a 27-22 win over England in Dublin.

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