DUBLIN - Paddy Jackson has been preferred to Ronan O'Gara to replace the injured Jonathan Sexton at flyhalf for the Six Nations match at Scotland on Sunday.

Coach Declan Kidney made the bold decision, one of the biggest in his five-year reign, on Wednesday with Sexton nursing a hamstring injury and Ireland bidding to hit back from its home loss to England in the previous round.

Kidney says "it was a very difficult decision to leave Ronan out," but "that's a compliment to Paddy."

The 35-year-old O'Gara, who has made the British and Irish Lions squad three times, had been expected to start after being Sexton's back-up since the 2011 World Cup.

Luke Marshall will make his test debut at Murrayfield by replacing inside centre Gordon D'Arcy, who has a foot injury.

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Ireland: Rob Kearney, Craig Gilroy, Brian O'Driscoll, Luke Marshall, Keith Earls, Paddy Jackson, Conor Murray; Jamie Heaslip (captain), Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony, Donnacha Ryan, Donncha O'Callaghan, Mike Ross, Rory Best, Tom Court.

Substitutes: Sean Cronin, David Kilcoyne, Declan Fitzpatrick, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Eoin Reddan, Ronan O'Gara, Luke Fitzgerald.

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