BEAWARE

Pieter insists Finlay and Co will still be set to show Ireland can cause Scots damage

- ANTHONY BROWN

IRELAND confirmed yesterday that they will be without two key players for Sunday's clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

But Scots' assistant coach Pieter de Villiers reckons the defending Six Nations champions will still be formidable opponents.

Tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong-who has played the last six Tests for the British & Irish Lions - missed Ireland's win over England with a calf injury. And second-row Joe McCarthy also sat out the 27-22 victory in Dublin with concussion.

Ireland had hoped they would be back for the trip to Edinburgh.

But their scrum coach, John Fogarty, said: "The game will come too soon for them." However, Fogarty had better news about two other players who were injury doubts for the game in Edinburgh.