Murray and Blair are both in the Scotland A side to face the Wolfhounds

Scotland joint-captain Mike Blair will continue his return from injury playing for the A team against their Irish counterparts on Friday at Ravenhill.

The scrum-half and fellow British and Irish Lions player Euan Murray are part of an experienced line-up for Belfast.

Scotland A head coach Sean Lineen said: "The players have all bought into what we are trying to achieve.

"And they realise this is a stepping stone towards playing for Scotland in the Six Nations."

The inclusion of Blair, who shares the senior captaincy with fellow scrum-half Chris Cusiter, comes on the day when he signed a new contract with Edinburgh despite speculation linking him with a move to Ulster on a permanent basis.

Scotland A's starting line-up contains players who have amassed 228 caps, but there are also five up-and-coming uncapped players in the side - Jim Thompson, Ruaridh Jackson, Jon Welsh, James Eddie and Roddy Grant.

All of the players involved are pushing for selection in the senior team Scotland A coach Sean Lineen

And Lineen believes the fixture against the side renamed Irish Wolfhounds provides the perfect platform for players on the periphery the main squad to prove a timely point.

"Last year, Scotland A enjoyed a huge amount of success - including the Nations Cup triumph in Romania - and only lost one match in 2009," he said.

"Unfortunately, that result was against Ireland A, so we are keen to set the record straight and produce a positive performance in Belfast.

"All of the players involved are pushing for selection in the senior team and there is the right balance in the squad with youth and experience.

"To have two world-class players like Mike and Euan gives everyone a massive lift and it promises to be a good night of rugby."

Edinburgh flanker Fraser McKenzie could make his Scotland A debut in Belfast if he comes off the bench.

Prop Marcus Horan, who also started Sunday's 17-13 defeat by England Saxons, will continue his comeback for the Wolfhounds.

Horan is back in action after spending two months out following minor heart surgery.

Ulster number eight Chris Henry leads the side on his home ground, with his provincial colleague, Ian Humphreys, starting at fly-half.

Peter Stringer partners Humphreys at half-back, while Sean Cronin is drafted in at hooker following Rory Best's promotion to the bench for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Italy.

Ryan Caldwell replaces Mick O'Driscoll at lock, where he will partner Devin Toner with Dan Tuohy of Ulster named at blindside flanker.

Scotland A: Thompson (Edinburgh), Walker (Ospreys), Cairns (Edinburgh), De Luca (Edinburgh), Danielli (Ulster), Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Blair (Edinburgh, capt), Welsh (Glasgow Warriors), Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Murray (Northampton Saints), MacLeod (Edinburgh), Hamilton (Edinburgh), Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), Gray (Northampton Saints), Grant (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Kelly (Edinburgh), Traynor (Edinburgh), Hamilton (Edinburgh), McKenzie (Edinburgh), Laidlaw (Edinburgh), Dewey (Glasgow Warriors), Houston (Edinburgh).

Ireland A: G Duffy, J Murphy, D Cave, F McFadden, I Dowling, I Humphreys, P Stringer, M Horan, S Cronin, T Buckley, R Caldwell, D Toner, D Tuohy, S Jennings, C Henry.
Replacements: N Brady, M Ross, E O'Donoghue, N Ronan, I Boss, I Keatley, K Matthews.

You can watch the match live on the BBC NI Sport website also, digital television viewers can press red to watch on Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat. Just follow the links to the BBC Sport Multiscreen.

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