Gregor Townsend backs Warriors as big guns miss out for Scotland

Gregor Townsend has selected 14 players from the in-form Glasgow Warriors to take on Italy in round one of the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday in Rome.

With the Warriors sitting at the top of the United Rugby Championship ladder and unbeaten in the Investec Champions Cup, Townsend has turned to those from Glasgow across the field at the expense of some Scottish stalwarts.

Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie have both been given the nod on the wing, meaning Darcy Graham has to settle for the bench and his Edinburgh team-mate Duhan van der Merwe has missed out entirely as he searches for form.

A fellow British & Irish Lions tourist last year, Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn, has also missed out, with Bristol Bears’ Tom Jordan being preferred at full-back.

Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman and Grant Gilchrist are the three forwards who have not hailed from Scotstoun.

Fixture

Six Nations

Italy

06:10

7 Feb 26

Scotland

All Stats and Data

Scotland XV
15. Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (12)
14. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (28)
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (58)
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (33) – Captain
11. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (17)
10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (89) – Vice-Captain
9. Ben White – Toulon (31)
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (44)
2. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (32)
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (76)
4. Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (45)
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (84)
6. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (59)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (34) – Vice-Captain
8. Jack Dempsey -–Glasgow Warriors (29)

Replacements
16. George Turner – Harlequins (50)
17. Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (5)
18. Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (11)
19. Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (9)
20. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (12)
21. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (40)
22. Adam Hastings – Glasgow Warriors (35)
23. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (50)