The first Scotland player in 30 years to score a hat trick of tries in the Six Nations has made way for Sean Maitland in the run-on side facing Ireland on Saturday at Murrayfield.
Blair Kinghorn scored
three as Scotland beat Italy 33-20 last Saturday at Murrayfield, but played only because Maitland was nursing a hamstring injury. The British Lion was fit this week, and Kinghorn was dropped to the reserves.
That's one of five changes, one positional, Scotland announced on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Ireland restored flanker Sean O'Brien and fullback Rob Kearney as starters and made three other injury-enforced changes after being stunned by England 32-20 last weekend in Dublin.
O'Brien made a straight swap out of the reserves with Josh van der Flier, and Kearney was recovered from a quadricep injury. He replaced Robbie Henshaw, the centre whose lack of playing time at fullback was exposed by England. Henshaw was dropped from the matchday 23.
Lock Devin Toner (ankle), No. 8 CJ Stander (face), and center Garry Ringrose (hamstring) were injured in the England game, and replaced by Quinn Roux, Jack Conan, and Chris Farrell respectively.
Farrell, beating Henshaw to the start at center, will make his first Six Nations start.
For Scotland, Willem Nel injured his calf against Italy, and Simon Berghan was in at tighthead prop where he finished against Italy. Berghan will make up an all-Edinburgh front row with Allan Dell and hooker Stuart McInally.
Lock Jonny Gray was over a shoulder complaint and in for Ben Toolis.
Sam Skinner limped off against Italy with an ankle injury and replaced at blindside flank by Ryan Wilson, who was moved from No. 8 to accommodate Josh Strauss.
Maitland for Kinghorn was the only change in the backline, restoring Scotland's all-British Lions back three with Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour.Into the reserves came uncapped Glasgow prop D'arcy Rae, and hooker Fraser Brown and back Peter Horne, both returning from knee injuries.
