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Six Nations

Scotland confirm three changes for Saturday's clash with France

Finn Russell (left) leads last Saturday's anthem singing in Cardiff (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Gregor Townsend has confirmed a Scotland XV to host France this Saturday at Murrayfield that has three changes from last Saturday’s opening-round Guinness Six Nations win in Cardiff.

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The Scots held off a second-half Welsh fightback to win 27-26, but their team to take on the French at Murrayfield now contains three alterations to the pack.

Two had been envisaged since last Saturday as the respective bicep and shoulder injuries sustained by lock Richie Gray and blindside Luke Crosbie versus Wales ruled them out for the remainder of the championship.

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Gray’s spot in the engine room has been filled by the return of Grant Gilchrist following his suspension, while the vacancy left by Crosbie has resulted in Matt Fagerson switching from No8 to No6 and Jack Dempsey getting promoted from the Principality Stadium bench to start at No8.

The third change to the Scotland side is also at back row as co-captain Rory Darge has finally pitched up fit following his recent knee problems and he has taken the place at openside of Jamie Ritchie, who drops out of the matchday 23.

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The remainder of Townsend’s starting selection is as it was in Wales, and the only alteration to his bench sees Andy Christie included following the promotion of Dempsey to start.

France, meanwhile, have named a starting XV showing two changes following their round-one loss at home to Ireland.

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With Paul Willemse red-carded during that Stade Velodrome loss and subsequently suspended, his place at second row has gone to Cameron Woki who was promoted from the bench. Alexandre Roumat has filled the vacancy left by Woki among the replacements.

The second starting line-up change is also a bench promotion with Louis Bielle-Biarrey taking over the left wing spot from the dropped Yoram Moefana, who has been named as their 23rd man.

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Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarriors 18 minutes ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

I was actually at the match. Leinster were the outstanding team in the league stage. Leinster’s squad depth meant the Bulls could only nick a late win in Pretoria against an understrenght Leinster. Simple put, Leinster are significantly better this year compared to last. The Dublin match last year was a big win by Leinster. Yes they won by a point in the RDS three years ago but thats not relevant to yesterday.

As Leinster are such a dangerous team, it forces an opponent to focus on a strategy to undermine them and that way get their game on the pitch. Leinster allowed that against Northampton. But that was not going to happen again. The Bulls attack in last 10 minutes of the first half was as savage as anything in the URC this year. Yet Leinsters coaching plan repelled them allied to savage commitment from the players. The defense was outstanding, pressure at breakdown outstanding. Leinster did not win the European cup but arguably at their best this year no other European team could reach that height. They reached that yesterday. Leinster completely removed Bulls ability to hurt them.

And Croke Park….100 years ago the Brits fired machine guns into spectators injuring 100s and killing loads. No Irish team ever performs badly there. Same with Irish supporters. Opposition players might as well be Brit Tommies with machine guns.

I think a great Leinster team, played a great game plan, to the height of their power in a horrible stadium for opponents. If Bulls score before half time they were back in the match. They went down, but they went down fighting.

12 Go to comments
J
JW 26 minutes ago
Broken hand or not, Richie Mo'unga is still New Zealand's best 10

Well it might fly in the direction his leg his kick but you just watch the ball closely it’s wobbling all over the show lol even his kick for Clarke was awkward just lucky it bounced right into his hands.

303 Go to comments
T
Top16 1 hour ago
43-year-old Ma'a Nonu scores first try for Toulon in 7 years

Marrant. Vous parlez du top 14 uniquement parce que Nonu a marqué un essai.

Ok, c'est une très grande star du rugby avec une belle longévité au très haut niveau. Mais pas un mot sur les affluences et l'ambiance dans les stades français ce week-end ?

Quand on regarde le Super Rugby, l'URC ou la PR rien d'équivalent à l'horizon.

Dommage car je pense qu'il y a une relation de cause à effet entre la rentabilité des Ligues et l'attrait du public (donc des diffuseurs).

L'argent que tous envie au top 14 vient pour des raisons plutôt claires à mes yeux.

Mais bon….

1 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 1 hour ago
Jordie Barrett hints at Leinster return after lifting his first club trophy

He has played and behaved brilliantly in Leinster. It was lovely to see him getting a huge cheer when he got his medal yesterday.

3 Go to comments
C
CV 2 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

Have you seen the lineups of the French clubs? The only team Leinster struggled against in the group stage was La Rochelle, who are rebuilding for next season. They were ranked 9th in the Top 14 when Leinster beat them. That is how strong the Top 14 is. I hope they play Bordeaux next season, that’s going to be one hell of a game.

12 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 2 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

All absolutely fair.


They were universally hailed as chokers last year in the CC final despite being a drop goal away from beating Toulouse. A Toulouse team that went on to drop 60 PTS on UBB in that years top 14 final.


I can't understand Irish fans who seem to think we'd be better off without a dominant Leinster?

12 Go to comments
J
JJ 2 hours ago
Adam Beard: 'It’s a bit clichéd, but you only have one life. You want to experience things.'

One of those players that you don’t realise how good they are until they’re not there. The stats on Squidge rugby were incredible. Wales’ lineout in 2023 with Beardy 91%, without Beardy 71%. In 2024 it was 92% and 73%. I guess it’s odds on that Montpellier will draw the Ospreys in the European Challenge Cup.

1 Go to comments
P
PB 2 hours ago
Johann van Graan: The Bulls boy who would be England's king

Also Franco Smith, Deon Davids and Mzwandile Stick

12 Go to comments
S
SK 2 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

Jake White banging hard on the same drum ignores some fundamental realities. This same Bulls team beat full strength Leinster in 2 semi finals and Munster accounted for them in another. Northampton took them down this year in the Champs cup. Munster won the URC away in SA and Glasgow did it last year. The team didnt show up, they didnt perform and they barely fired a shot. In fairness Leinster also didnt allow it and played magnificently. Yes Leinster are top class but they are beatable and the Bulls were really poor on Saturday. White doesnt need more resources to win the URC. He doesnt need to build some sort of Galacticos. He needs his team to do the job in the final. Right now they are the biggest chokers in the comp.

12 Go to comments
P
PB 2 hours ago
Johann van Graan: The Bulls boy who would be England's king

There are no shortages to be Bok coach. van Graan, Nienaber, and Franco Smith have all had stellar coaching stints. Then there are also Rassie’s projects that he is grooming like Stick and Davids.

12 Go to comments
P
PB 2 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus releases 11 players as he trims to 45-man Springbok squad

Boks:

Ox, Boan, (JH Wessells)

Marnus, Marx, Bongi, (JH Wessells and Escom)

TdT, Wilco, Fouche, Asenathi, Koch

Eben, Kleyn, Wiese, Moerat

Lood, Mostert, RG, Nortje

Kolisi, Marco v Staden, Kwagga

Tshituka, JL du Preez, ( Wiese, Mostert and Nortje)

Wiese, Roos

Faf, Williams, Reinach, vsn den Bergh

Sacha, Pollard, Libbok

Arendse, Mapimpi, Hooker

de Allende, Esterhuizen, Willemse

Kriel, Hooker

Kolbe, Moodie, Edwil vd Merwe

Fassi, Le Roux, Willemse


A powerful, versatile squad with depth and options in every position.


With the likes of PSDT, Malherbe, Augustus, and Hanekom to join later, the depth is scary!

1 Go to comments
P
PB 2 hours ago
Edinburgh's Boan Venter appears to turn back on Scotland call-up

Boan is 29, so arguably 5 years left in his possible test career. A bok cap will mean more to him than 10 Scottish caps. And besides there is every chance that he can be in the reckoning for the 2027 WC

Ox, Steenekamp, Venter, and Mchunu. Wessels can then still play his dual role

1 Go to comments
K
KH 2 hours ago
Jake White lifts lid on South African fans' attitude to URC

If the fixture list can be sorted to include staying in Europe for the EPCR then even better.

Cheetahs should be in URC, playing in SA

4 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
Why Bath and Leicester represent the 'best of the best' in English rugby

That would make sense G.

10 Go to comments
J
JW 3 hours ago
Broken hand or not, Richie Mo'unga is still New Zealand's best 10

I’m not sure it’s that Australia went downhill after introducing the Giteau Law JD, from memory they brought that Law in because there was already a great, and likely irreversible results wise, exodus. Not the other way around.

303 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 3 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

They probably had the match of the French teams this year but were caught by Northampton. I think both competitions are hard to win and it is good for the URC to have at least one team competing for both. The double is very difficult.

White was very magnanimous and it was nice of him to point out that this great Leinster team deserve more credit at home. They are nice guys too.

I think the standard of Leinster will help Bulls, Sharks and others aim for them. And if they have a squad competitive with that Leinster team then they are qualifying for and winning Champions League. A SA team winninga Champions league would be a moment in sporting history. Good luck to SA teams and SA in the Rugby Champs (I will be supporting them as our URC fremenies). Bitter rivalry will resume in the Autumn.

12 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 3 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

I was in the stadium. Leinster were almost unplayable for Bulls early doors. The second try was crucial but was not a defensive error by Bulls. A small piece of space appeared behind the Bulls defensive line, Barrett called for it, the Scrum Half chipped a peach and Barretts kick through for himself was perfect. That score was vital, because Leinster were playing their best rugby of the season and Bulls for fighting (and succeeding) in keeping at just 7 down. Last 10 mins of first half it was all Bulls battering at Leinster. The entire first half was horrible soaking downpour. The handling by both teams and Bulls was impressive.

I thought it was a high quality match. Best two teams were in that final.

12 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 3 hours ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

“We couldn’t get our hands on the ball. I say again to all the Irish, I don’t think they give the credit to that Leinster team. They are well coached, they are fantastic guys as well.”


Magnanimous from White. Irish fans do need to appreciate what Leinster have achieved by assembling that squad. And they are good guys. Narrow defeats in finals stung. The utterly disingenious accusations of ‘Arrogance’ when they fall just short often peddled by lazy journalists looking for clickbait must have hurt too.


That first half performance was magnificent. The pressure that Bulls applied at the end of the first half, would have broken through any other team in the URC…beyond probably. I was in the terrace above and you could hear the thunderous collisions echoing above the din.


Two best teams in this years tournament and it showed.

Hard luck to Bulls but their day is coming.

Lovely to see the beautiful roars from the crowd for the great Jordie Barrett and that great journeyman no 10 for Leinster, Ross Byrne who saw the last quarter through with characteristic composure and professionalism.


Great tournament and I don’t think anyone could deny Leinster deserved that one, over the year as well as yesterday.

12 Go to comments
M
Mark 3 hours ago
'Close to the best nine in the world': Johann van Graan after final win

Spencer comprehensively outplayed JVP yesterday in all facets of the game, his speed of pass from the base is like an hyper ballistic missile compared with JVPs slow arm spin.

And his kicking from hand was vastly superior.

These patent facts somehow continue to elude Mr Borthwick!!

2 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 3 hours ago
Bath’s Ben Spencer hints at more to come from treble winners

Interesting to see if they’ve learned their lesson from selection vs Bennetton! No doubt at all though, that Finn will need a decent rest post Lions, or they will pay a heavier price when it all catches up with him.

2 Go to comments
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