Scotland v Ireland, Six Nations 2019: What date is the game, what time does it start and what TV channel is it on?

What is it?

The first match in the second round of the 2019 Six Nations, with defending champions Ireland taking on Scotland.

When is it?

The match takes place on Saturday, February 9.

What time is kick-off?

It is a 14.15 GMT start at Murrayfield.

What TV channel is it on?

BBC and ITV are again sharing the broadcasting rights for all Six Nations matches.

This game will be on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 2pm.

You can find out details of all 2019 Six Nations matches, including TV channel information, here.

What is the latest team news?

Scotland have dropped hat-trick hero Blair Kinghorn to make way for the return of Sean Maitland in one of four changes to their team to face Ireland in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Maitland returns from a hamstring injury to start at Murrayfield in place of Kinghorn, who drops to the bench despite scoring three tries in the 33-20 win over Italy in Scotland’s opener at home last Saturday.

Coach Gregor Townsend also has another British and Irish Lion in lock Jonny Gray back from injury and he replaces Ben Toolis in the second row.

The other changes see Simon Berghan come into the front row at tighthead in place of WP Nel, who suffered a calf injury against Italy, while Josh Strauss takes the place of Sam Skinner among the loose forwards.

Skinner was forced off early last week with an ankle injury and has since returned to his club Exeter Chiefs for treatment.

Strauss will play eighth man against Ireland with Ryan Wilson moving to the side of the scrum.

Uncapped prop D’Arcy Rae is named among the substitutes while hooker Fraser Brown and centre Pete Horne are fit again and also included among the replacements.

Replacements: 16. Fraser Brown, 17. Jamie Bhati, 18. D’Arcy Rae, 19. Ben Toolis, 20. Rob Harley, 21. Ali Price, 22. Pete Horne, 23. Blair Kinghorn

“We picked up two injuries from last week, which is disappointing, but have had a boost with a number of proven test players returning from injury and available to us this week,” Townsend said as he named the team on Thursday.

He described the match against Ireland as “probably the biggest challenge we’ll face in the Six Nations”, even though the Irish started the defence of their title with a home defeat against England last Saturday.

"They (Ireland) are very well coached, have some outstanding players and will test us in a number of areas – defensively, set-piece, attack and kicking game.

"It is a challenge that brings an extra edge and focus to training and something our players relish taking on.

"Our players have risen to the challenge of playing New Zealand, England and other world-class teams and they are aware that we must rise once more to produce one of our best ever performances for 80 minutes,” Townsend added.

Rob Kearney will return at full-back for Ireland's Guinness Six Nations trip to Scotland, with Chris Farrell parachuted into the centres.

Munster powerhouse Farrell will partner Bundee Aki in midfield, with Robbie Henshaw dropping out of Ireland's match squad due to a dead leg.

British and Irish Lions centre Henshaw struggled positionally when shifted to full-back in last weekend's 32-20 home loss to England.

Stalwart full-back Kearney has been restored to the 15 shirt for Saturday's Murrayfield encounter then, with the 32-year-old still easing back to full sharpness after a thigh injury.

"Robbie has a dead leg and just hasn't recovered in time," said Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt. "It's just a bit of aggravation after having a knock. It's a knock on top of a knock.

"It does make it difficult; the problem is he maybe could have played. But if you get another bump on it, it debilitates you quickly. And then you have to make another change."

When asked if Kearney would have returned at full-back even had Henshaw been fit, Schmidt added: "Probably once Garry Ringrose was ruled out it was going to be trying to keep a little continuity as best we can and get as cohesive as we can in a short space of time."

Replacements: 16. Sean Cronin, 17. Dave Kilcoyne, 18. Andrew Porter, 19. Ultan Dillane, 20. Josh van der Flier, 21. John Cooney, 22. Joey Carbery, 23. Jordan Larmour

Potent Munster midfielder Farrell has struggled with a series of knee injuries since his last Test appearance, a man of the match showing in Ireland's 37-27 Six Nations victory over Wales in February 2018.

The 25-year-old may have just three caps to his name but Ireland rate his physical presence and capacity for industry very highly.

"You've got Chris Farrell sitting in the wings, massively motivated to do his best," said Schmidt.

"So it's a great opportunity to get him in and give him a run. We're just going to have to forge ahead, but it's an exciting opportunity to give Chris Farrell a run against Scotland. He's coming back to form after a long lay-off."

Connacht's Quinn Roux will replace Devin Toner to partner James Ryan at lock. Roux failed to make the cut for Ireland's initial Six Nations squad, but has since leapfrogged provincial team-mate Ultan Dillane, who takes a seat on the bench.

Toner will miss just his seventh Test match in the Joe Schmidt era, his near-constant presence since November 2013 underscoring his importance to Ireland's line-out solidity.

Toner's ankle injury has exacerbated the absences at lock of Iain Henderson with a finger problem and Tadhg Beirne with knee trouble.

What happened in this fixture in 2018?

Ireland were convincing 28-8 winners over Scotland at home in Dublin thanks to two tries by wing Jacob Stockdale plus scores by Conor Murray and Sean O'Brien, setting up a potential Grand Slam fixture against England the following week. Blair Kinghorn was Scotland's only try scorer.

What are they saying?

Josh Strauss has pressed the case for Scotland to take on Ireland in the physicality stakes this Saturday after presenting the compelling evidence for a full-blooded approach.

The Scots will be looking to dish out a fresh serving of pain to Joe Schmidt's men at Murrayfield this weekend after the 2018 Grand Slam winners were swiped aside by England in their Guinness Six Nations opener.

Eddie Jones' side dominated in Dublin thanks to powerhouse performances from Manu Tuilagi and Mako and Billy Vunipola, running up four tries on their way to a bonus-point triumph.

Strauss was impressed by the tactics utilised by the English at the Aviva Stadium as it sparked memories of Ireland's last Edinburgh visit.

The Sale number eight was in the Scotland XV for that 2017 clash, a match that saw the Dark Blues lure the visitors into a series of early traps set inside their own 22 before applying the squeeze.

The Irish fought back but two late Greig Laidlaw kicks saw the Scots edge a thrilling contest 27-22.

And it is those two performances which have convinced Strauss that the Scots must take the fight to the Irish again.

He said: "I wasn't involved last year in Dublin but we've watched a lot of the clips leading up to this year's match trying to see what we did well and where we could do better.

"Physically we didn't match them as a team last year but in 2017 we fronted up very well. We'll need to take a similar step this week because we've seen what England have done.

"If you match that you will probably get something out of the game. That is something we're focusing on."

Losing last week means Ireland's title ambitions are already on the line against Gregor Townsend's men.

And Strauss hopes to exploit that make-or-break situation to his team's benefit.

He said: "If Ireland lose this one, it makes it very tough for them to get anywhere close to winning the competition.

"I don't think they as a team will want to focus on it perhaps being the end of their tournament. They will just want to focus on it game by game But if we can put a lot of pressure on them in the first 20, that changes their mindset. They might have to change their tactics if they end up chasing the game because we're far enough ahead.

"The first 20 is always the focus in any game but there is a bit more to it with them losing the first game."

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Meanwhile, Peter O'Mahony has insisted Ireland can still retain their Guinness Six Nations title. The Munster flanker admitted Ireland were stung but not panicked, after Saturday's comprehensive 32-20 Dublin defeat by England.

A frustrated O'Mahony rejected suggestions Ireland had not been as motivated as England, who dominated physically in their four-try victory.

The 29-year-old pledged Ireland will now head to Scotland on Saturday in a bid to reassert their class, and set the defence of their 2018 title back on track.

Asked if Ireland can still win this year's tournament, O'Mahony replied: "Absolutely. We were up against one of the best teams in the world and we got beaten, and we're not going to shy away from that.

"But I don't know why we would be panicking. We're hurting, 100 per cent. The Aviva Stadium is a place where we hadn't lost for a while. You never like losing, no matter if you are playing for Ireland or your club, but particularly at the Aviva which is somewhere we have made a fortress.

"Certainly that hurts. I'm certainly not going to sit here and say it didn't hurt. It did. But we can't be sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves.

"England at home says enough in itself, so I don't think we weren't motivated to go and win at home. That doesn't sit well with me.

"There's a lot of rugby to be played between now and the end of the campaign. We're going to go back to do what we do well, and we're going to do that excellently this week, hopefully."

O'Mahony's Munster team-mate CJ Stander will miss up to four weeks due to facial fractures.

Ireland will miss Stander's physical approach for Saturday's Murrayfield clash, and will be forced to re-jig their back-row.

Leinster's fit-again flanker Sean O'Brien could step straight into the starting line-up, having come into the fray as a replacement against England.

O'Brien has only just recovered from the broken arm he suffered in Ireland's November Tests, but O'Mahony believes he is ready to start if called upon.

"I'm not going to sit here and pick the team, but Sean O'Brien, the name along speaks for itself," said O'Mahony.

What are the betting odds?

• Scotland - 12/5

• Ireland - 4/9

• Draw - 28/1

What is our prediction?

Predicted score: Ireland will be hurting after that home loss to England, whereas Scotland looked rusty at times against Italy. Predicted score: Scotland 18 Ireland 26