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Ollie Smith to make Scotland debut as Townsend makes 8 changes
Full-back Ollie Smith will make his Scotland debut in Saturday’s summer tour series decider against Argentina.
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The 21-year-old Glasgow player replaces the injured Rory Hutchinson as Gregor Townsend makes eight changes for the third Test in Santiago Del Estero.
Townsend is without three injured backs in all. Kyle Rowe was injured after coming off the bench during Saturday’s 29-6 victory while Darcy Graham has been ruled out with a delayed concussion.
Rufus McLean takes Graham’s place on the right wing while Sione Tuipulotu replaces Sam Johnson at inside centre and scrum-half Ali Price is recalled.
Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman come into the front row alongside Zander Fagerson, who will win his 50th cap.
Townsend, who handed Fagerson his Glasgow debut in 2014, said on the Scottish Rugby Twitter account: “He was always a person people talked about as a 17/18-year-old, already breaking John Welsh’s squat records and bench-press records in the gym, so physically he was very well developed.
“He was really hungry back then to play at a higher level. He had to go through two or three seasons with the under-20s, he played a lot of minutes in those days, but he was quickly into the Glasgow squad.
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“I remember his first start down at Scarlets, I think he was subbed after 25 minutes. So he has come a long way since then, and he has learned. He has learned from the scrum coaches he has had over the years, and also the scrums he has gone through.
“Over the last 12 months, to become a Lion and now to get his 50th cap as a 26-year-old, shows what a great career he has had so far.”
Scott Cummings and Jonny Gray form an all-changed second row with the back row unchanged.
Flanker Hamish Watson will captain the side for the first time after completing his half-century of international appearances at the weekend.
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Edinburgh lock Glen Young could make his debut off the bench.
SCOTLAND TEAM VS ARGENTINA:
15. Ollie Smith – Glasgow Warriors – uncapped
14. Rufus McLean – Glasgow Warriors – 2 caps
13. Mark Bennett – Edinburgh Rugby – 26 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors – 6 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Worcester Warriors – 18 caps
10. Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 33 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors (Vice-Captain) – 53 caps
1. Rory Sutherland – Worcester Warriors – 19 caps
2. Ewan Ashman – Sale Sharks – 3 caps
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 49 caps
4. Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors – 22 caps
5. Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs (Vice-Captain) – 68 caps
6. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors – 6 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby (Captain) – 50 caps
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 23 caps
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Dave Cherry – Edinburgh Rugby – 6 caps
17. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 11 caps
18. Javan Sebastian – Scarlets – 3 caps
19. Glen Young – Edinburgh Rugby – uncapped
20. Andy Christie – Saracens – 2 caps
21. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors – 17 caps
22. Ross Thompson – Glasgow Warriors – 2 caps
23. Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 26 caps
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments