Six Nations: Kelly Brown named in unchanged side for Scots' trip to Dublin

Published on Wednesday 17 March 2010 22:16

KELLY Brown has been passed fit at this stage to play in Scotland's final RBS Six Nations match in Ireland on Saturday, but the flanker faces more tests after he suffered concussion in the Calcutta Cup match.

• Picture: SNS

Scotland coach Andy Robinson delayed naming his side until yesterday to give players more time to recover, and it brought mixed news when he did reveal the squad that will head to Dublin in search of a first championship win under the new coach.

With Brown expected to be fit by the end of the week, Robinson has gone with the same starting XV that drew 15-15 with England, but the squad's most experienced forward, Nathan Hines, has been forced out with a knee injury and his bench place goes to 20-year-old Glasgow lock Richie Gray.

Mike Blair and Alasdair Dickinson return to the bench after recovering from head knocks suffered playing for Edinburgh and Gloucester respectively, so Rory Lawson, hero of the hour on Saturday with his deflection of Toby Flood's late drop-goal attempt, and Geoff Cross drop out again.

Robinson said: "The treatment from the medical team throughout the championship has been first class and they've been really tested. Kelly was brought off with a head knock, and because of the care he has been given and the protocols he has gone through he is currently fit to be involved.

"With a seven-day turnaround we can go through all the right protocols. There are currently no doubts – he's not suffered any reaction to the head knock – but he has further contact tests to go through." While Hines' injury looked likely to rule him out from Monday, when his knee swelled up, Robinson had always hoped that Brown would recover quickly from his head-on smash with England wing Ugo Monye.

"Whenever a player is injured you are immediately concerned," said Robinson, "But, straight away it came across on the radio that James Robson had said that Ugo was more serious than Kelly. We knew immediately it wasn't as bad a situation as Thom."

He added: "A number of players were under pressure for their places, but I thought they came through with flying colours last week and I want to see that consistency of performance now."