After a gap of six years, Ireland and Scotland renew a rivalry that stretches back over the last two decades when they meet in one of the highlights of the club season at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Friday evening.
In his second game as the team’s head coach after succeeding Seán Skehan, Adam Craig has retained 14 of the matchday 23 from last season’s 50-0 win over a young Portugal A team. As the versatile Terenure back Aran Egan also played in the 20-17 win over Portugal A in Lisbon two seasons ago, that means eight of the side are winning their first caps.
Reflecting the competitive nature of Division 1A in the Energia All-Ireland League (AIL), Craig has drawn players from the seven clubs in contention for the top four playoff places in his starting XV.
Cork Constitution lead the way with four players, although Terenure have five in the matchday 23. After his recent loan spell at Northampton Saints, Con’s talismanic backrower Jack Kelleher will captain the side for the second season in a row.
The 24-year-old, whose rugby journey started as a 10-year-old with Dolphin and continued with Pres and UCC, is in his fourth season with Con. He was AIL Player of the Year when part of their title-winning season in 2023-24.
“I’m really excited, really looking forward to it. We have home advantage this year,” said Kelleher, who pointed to the benefit “of having your family and your friends and team-mates being able to go up and get to the game as well”.
“I think you can see the AIL growing in terms of getting the crowds through the gates again, like they were back in the golden days of the league. If we can get a big crowd out on Friday night, that’ll certainly give us a lift.”
The teams compete for the Dalriada Cup, which was first introduced in 2011 and last contested between the Ireland and Scotland club sides in 2020. On that occasion, a 22-17 win in Donnybrook completed a two-legged win for Ireland.
This Irish side has big-game players like Bobby Sheehan, Seán Rigney, Ronan Watters and Kelleher up front, albeit they have to gel in a short period of time. Given the forecast break from the incessant rain of late, the hope must be that Ireland can utilise the pace of former All-Ireland Schools 100m and 200m champion Aaron Sexton, as well as the former Munster and Bedford Blues winger Seán French.
The Scottish side is made up of players who represented their district in the Inter-District Championships. They will be captained by Ayr RFC number eight Blair Macpherson in his fourth campaign for the Club XV, which included playing in Donnybrook six years ago.
IRELAND CLUB XV: Conor Rankin (Ballynahinch); Seán French (Cork Con), Myles Carey (St Mary’s), Aran Egan (Terenure), Aaron Sexton (Ballynahinch); Conor Kelly (Clontarf), Adam Maher (Cork Con); David Begley (Young Munster), Bobby Sheehan (Lansdowne), Luke Masters (Cork Con); Seán Rigney (Terenure), Fionn Gilbert (Clontarf); Jack Kelleher (Cork Con, capt), Ronan Watters (St Mary’s), Bradley Luney (Ballynahinch).
Replacements: Claytan Milligan (Ballynahinch), Marcus Hanan (Terenure), Adam Tuite (Terenure), Bailey Faloon (Young Munster), David Whitten (Instonians), Sam Owens (Clontarf), Tadhg Bird (Clontarf), Adam LaGrue (Terenure).
SCOTLAND CLUB XV: Glenn Bryce (Stirling County); Jamie Shedden (Ayr), Andrew Mitchell (Hawick), Bobby Beattie (Ayr), Ben Pickles (Selkirk); Dwain Patterson (Kelso), Gregor Christie (Currie Chieftains); Jack Dobie (Melrose), Fraser Renwick (Hawick), Struan Cessford (Heriot’s); Angus Runciman (Melrose), Oscar Baird (Ayr); Ruairidh Leishman (Heriot’s), Tim Brown (Ayr), Blair MacPherson (Ayr, capt).
Replacements: Elliot Young (Heriot’s), Jamie Drummond (Ayr), Dan Gamble (Kelso), Ruaraidh Hart (Stirling County), Sam Wallace (Heriot’s), Euan McKirdy (GHA), Callum Anderson (Selkirk), Archie Barbour (Kelso).
Referee: Cai Lewis (WRU).
Head-to-head: Played 8, Ireland 4 wins, Scotland 3 wins, 1 draw.
Forecast: Ireland to win.