Scrum-half Peter Stringer, centre Gordon D'Arcy, flanker Denis Leamy and hooker Rory Best were restored to the starting line-up, bringing 197 caps with them.

Kidney was reluctant to expand on the real reason for the changes but he denied having half an eye on the likely title decider against Wales a week later.

Tomas O'Leary, Paddy Wallace, Jamie Heaslip and Jerry Flannery made way, but none of them had done anything to deserve the axe.

Scotland's record points scorer and most capped player Chris Paterson was recalled after being controversially left out of the starting line-up for the opening three games of the Six Nations.

He replaced Edinburgh team-mate Hugo Southwell at full-back while Alasdair Dickinson came in for Allan Jacobsen, who underwent shoulder surgery last week.

Edinburgh lock Jim Hamilton was selected after recovering from a shoulder injury, replacing Alastair Kellock.

Head coach Frank Hadden initially delayed finalising his 22 for the showdown at Murrayfield to give Hamilton and fellow second row Nathan Hines more time to prove their fitness.

Hines has been named on the bench and could make his first appearance of the championship after recovering from a knee injury.

Ireland have won all but one of their last nine encounters against Scotland but their last two visits to Murrayfield - both in 2007 - have been challenging.