Schmidt Makes Tight Calls

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Ulster duo Andrew Trimble and Luke Marshall are surprise inclusions in the Ireland team for Sunday's Six Nations opener against Scotland in Dublin.

Two of the three changes from the New Zealand defeat are in the backs with Trimble replacing the injured Tommy Bowe and Marshall in for Gordon D'Arcy.

The other change from that match sees another Ulster player, Chris Henry, in for injured flanker Sean O'Brien.

Brian O'Driscoll will make an Irish record 129th appearance this weekend.

O'Driscoll moves ahead of Ronan O'Gara's 128-cap haul while another milestone will see Rob Kearney making his 50th appearance for the Irish.

D'Arcy, 33, was one of Ireland's best performers against the All Blacks.

The 75-times capped Leinster centre's omission from the entire squad for this weekend's game will be a major talking-point although it's conceivable, given the physical demands of the competition, it may be a case of him being kept fresh for next weekend's game against Wales.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, facing into his first Six Nations in charge, said that it had been a "very, very close call" between his former Leinster player and four-times capped Marshall.

"I think part of it was that Gordon had a little bit of a stomach bug at the start of the week," added the Irish coach.

"Because it was a tight call, Luke got a little bit more of the training time and would feel a little bit more comfortable.

"Luke made a couple of really good telling breaks against the Australians in the autumn, then Gordon D'Arcy played as well as I've seen him against the All Blacks."

D'Arcy has partnered Brian O'Driscoll at centre for Ireland on an international record 52 occasions.

Marshall, 22, did start ahead of D'Arcy in the middle November Test against Australia but a defensive mix-up between him and Ian Madigan led to one of the opposition's tries.

The Ulster centre was then left out of the squad for the All Blacks game but he is back in favour for Sunday's Championship opener.

Schmidt indicated on Friday that Trimble's "physicality" had been a factor in the Ulster wing's recall given that Sean Lamont has been named in the Scotland line-up.

With Bowe and Keith Earls ruled out by injury and Luke Fitzgerald also not risked because of a hip niggle sustained in midweek, Trimble starts ahead of Fergus McFadden after missing out on all of last year's Six Nations.

"The one thing we felt with Luke (Fitzgerald) was that if we tried to push too hard this week we might lose him for more than next week anyway," added Schmidt.

Henry holds off the claims of Tommy O'Donnell to take the flanker berth left vacant by O'Brien's injury.

Paddy Jackson edges out Ian Madigan for the back-up fly-half role while the bench also includes uncapped Leinster prop Martin Moore, Ulster lock Dan Tuohy and Isaac Boss.

Scrum-half Boss is named in the squad after Eoin Reddan was ruled out by a calf injury.

Ireland team to face Scotland: Rob Kearney (Leinster); Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Dave Kearney (Leinster); Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro), Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster); Devin Toner (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster); Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Ulster).

Replacements: Jack McGrath (Leinster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster)

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Trimble Wants 1999 Ulster Repeat

Andrew Trimble has warned Leinster they will face an Ulster side "motivated by jealousy" in Saturday's first all-Irish Heineken Cup final at Twickenham.

Ulster were the first Irish side to win Europe's premier club competition when they beat Colomiers in the 1999 final.

However, Leinster and Munster have both won two titles since then with Ulster largely struggling in the competition.

"We were getting fed up of being seen as the third-choice [Irish] province," said Ireland winger Trimble.

"Playing Leinster adds intensity and passion and we want to come out on top and we also want to deny Leinster that trophy.

"Going into this final we are motivated by jealousy. We want to leapfrog them and become the number one province."

Saturday's finalists have been perennial European hopefuls over the course of the last decade, a time during which Ulster have often struggled to keep up.

Brian O'Driscoll says Leinster must not hand penalty chances to Ulster kicker Ruan Pienaar in the Heineken Cup final

But under the guidance of coach Brian McLaughlin, and with a squad mixing the experienced South Africa contingent of Ruan Pienaar, Pedrie Wannenburg and Johann Muller with homegrown stars such as Trimble, Ulster are back at the European game's top table.

Victory would stop 2011 winners Leinster becoming the first side to retain the trophy and land the Ulster coach European club rugby's biggest prize in his final game in charge.

"This game means a massive amount for Ulster rugby and for Irish rugby, there is such a rivalry between the provinces," added Trimble.

"We have become genuine contenders for the trophy and Saturday is an opportunity we don't want to let slip."

Trimble, then 14 years of age, was among the crowd in Dublin when Ulster last won the trophy, with full-back Simon Mason booting six penalties in their 21-6 win.

The 27-year-old hopes to see similar scenes of celebration come Saturday evening.

He said: "I don't remember all that much about it although I don't think we played much rugby, but it was one of those days when we squeezed out a result.

"I just remember that Lansdowne Road was white and it was a very special day.

"We have finally been given an opportunity back at that level but we don't want to let it pass us by because you don't know when your next Heineken Cup final will be."

Trimble Seeking Ireland Chance

Ireland winger Andrew Trimble hopes to seize his chance to hold down a regular starting place when he faces Wales in Dublin on Sunday.

Trimble featured in five of Ireland's World Cup games, but started only one, despite his good form with Ulster.

"In the last six months I feel like I've been playing well, banging on the door and trying to get starts," he said.

"If I don't take my opportunity, I'll only have myself to blame."

With Keith Earls chosen to deputise for injured skipper Brian O'Driscoll at outside centre, a vacancy has opened up for Trimble on the left wing.

"I want to go out and perform as well as I've been playing for Ulster.

"I definitely want to kick on and I want to be a regular starter," added the 27-year-old.

Meanwhile Trimble insists the art of captaincy remains crucial as Ireland prepare for their longest spell under the leadership of Paul O'Connell.

O'Connell has been installed as skipper for the tournament in place of O'Driscoll, who misses the entire championship after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Ireland have been led by O'Connell on five occasions and the Munster lock is the automatic selection for the role when O'Driscoll is absent.

"Captaincy is still massively important. At Ulster we have Johann Muller and Rory Best. They make the decisions and do the talking," said Trimble.

"They're clear and concise, telling us what we need to do, and that's good leadership.

"Other leaders, such as Ruan Pienaar, do the right thing at the right time. He doesn't talk things up, just tends to make the right decision.

"There are different types of leader out there and O'Connell is someone I have a massive amount of respect for. When he speaks, everyone else listens. That's the way it is with Paul."

Trimble insists Ireland lose nothing with former Lions skipper O'Connell at the helm.

"Paul is great in the dressing room. I look up to him massively and have an enormous amount of respect for him as a leader and a player.

"To a certain extent he goes into a zone, but at the same time he communicates well. He leads well and brings everyone with him.

"Brian is a massive loss, in terms of what he has to say, but more importantly the impact he has on the pitch.

"But everyone's fully confident of what Paul brings. There's no better man to replace Brian as a captain."

The stakes are high on Sunday, for Trimble and Ireland, with victory over an injury-depleted Wales potentially setting the tone for their campaign.

Talk of avenging last autumn's 22-10 World Cup quarter-final defeat by the Welsh has been avoided in public, but Trimble hints that behind the scenes it is felt a score needs to be settled.

"I don't want to read too much into what happened against Wales in the World Cup and Six Nations last year, but there is definitely something more special about this fixture," he said.