Six Nations: Jamison Gibson-Park retains Ireland scrum-half role with fit-again Conor Murray on bench

Jamison Gibson-Park (left) and James Lowe (right) retain their starting berths with fit-again Conor Murray (centre) having to be content with a place on the bench

Jamison Gibson-Park is retained at scrum-half for Ireland's Six Nations game against Scotland with fit-again Conor Murray named on the bench.

Gibson-Park started in the defeat by France and win over Italy after Murray was ruled out by a hamstring injury.

The starting side for Sunday's match shows three changes from the Rome game.

Keith Earls replaces Jordan Larmour at wing with Cian Healy and Rob Herring in for Dave Kilcoyne and Ronan Kelleher in the front row.

James Lowe retains his wing berth as Ulster's fit-again Jacob Stockdale does not make the match day squad.

Murray's inclusion in the squad is the sole personnel change to Andy Farrell's 23 with his Munster team-mate Craig Casey, who made his debut from the bench in Rome, missing out.

Ireland will attempt to to build on their routine 48-10 win at Stadio Olimpico a fortnight ago after suffering back-to-back defeats to Wales and France at the start of the tournament.

New Zealand-born Gibson-Park, 29, will win his ninth cap by continuing his half-back partnership with captain and his Leinster team-mate Johnny Sexton.

Gibson-Park will make his third consecutive start for Ireland

Murray, 31, and Sexton have been regular half-back partners for both Ireland and the British and Irish Lions since playing their first internationals together in 2011.

"Conor's not played for five weeks and Jamison has been playing really well so he deserves his start," explained Farrell.

"He (Gibson-Park) has progressed a lot. He's more comfortable in his role in and around the side.

"He understands what it takes now to be a top-class international scrum-half and deal with the pressures of the game and he understands the difference between the club game and the international game, so he's thriving in the role.

"He brings tempo, he brings a little bit of off-the-cuff type feel to the game, he plays the game that's in front of him, he's dynamic, he's got good footwork and he can ask some questions of any type of defence."

Munster man Earls - Ireland's second highest try scorer with 33 - breaks the Leinster monopoly of the backs by replacing Larmour.

Loosehead prop Healy and hooker Herring are restored to accompany tighthead Tadhg Furlong at the front of the pack after Kilcoyne and the ball-carrying Kelleher were picked for the Rome contest.

Furlong made his first international appearance in over a year in Rome after a long period of injury and retains his role with Andrew Porter again having to be content with a bench role.

Ireland: Keenan; Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Sexton, Gibson-Park; Healy, Herring, Furlong; Henderson, Ryan (capt); Beirne, Connors, Stander.

Replacements: Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Porter, Baird, Conan, Murray, Burns, Larmour.