Scotland make 12 changes to team for rematch with Georgia
Glasgow Warriors back row Ryan Wilson will captain Scotland for the first time in their final World Cup warm-up match against Georgia at BT Murrayfield Stadium on Friday
Scotland opened a fortnight of firsts last weekend in Tbilisi as the first tier one nation to travel for a Test match on Georgian soil, with Friday’s return fixture in Edinburgh the first ever Scotland home game on a Friday night outside the World Cup.
Coach Gregor Townsend has made 12 changes to the starting side that defeated Georgia 44-10 at the Dinamo Arena, naming a starting XV who on Tuesday were announced in the 31-man squad for World Cup 2019. Six of the eight replacements are also set to take the plane to Japan on Monday.
Glasgow Warriors’ Tommy Seymour and Scarlets No8 Blade Thomson have completed the graduated return to play protocol for concussions sustained against France almost fortnight ago, while lock Jonny Gray will feature for the first time since sustaining a hamstring strain in pre-season.
Townsend said: “We’ve been together since the middle of June and Friday night is our final chance this year to play in front of our supporters. It’s another opportunity for players to get valuable game time and build on what was a very good performance last weekend in Georgia.
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“We are very aware that Georgia will be much improved after their first hit out of the season and they will know much more about how we play. We expect a very tough challenge and it will require an improved performance from our men to deliver a winning outcome.
“It’s a boost to have Jonny back in side for the first time since last season and for others, like Tommy, Blade and Duncan, to have made a return to full fitness, following their recent injuries. It’s also great to involve two players in our squad this weekend – Grant Stewart and Magnus Bradbury – who just missed out on selection to our group to travel to Japan.
BREAKING | Scotland team named to play Georgia at BT Murrayfield this Friday night!
© Wilson to captain for the first time
? Gray, Seymour & Thomson return
? Johnson & Taylor combine
1?? First home Friday night home Test outside of RWCTICKETS – https://t.co/qhvaUkDXfk pic.twitter.com/HInLzTPxVN
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) September 4, 2019
“As with all those that didn’t make the 31-man squad, it’s important they keep training and playing well in case they get a call up during the tournament. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Scotland fans for their unprecedented levels of support this summer. We are looking forward to playing in front of another big crowd at BT Murrayfield.
“I’d also like to thank the players and management for their outstanding contributions throughout our World Cup camp. It’s a credit to their hard work and professionalism that the squad are in such great physical condition. Friday night gives us the opportunity to keep improving and get one step closer to playing our best rugby over the next few weeks.”
An entirely new pack that will take to the field from the outset on Friday, with Glasgow pair George Turner and Zander Fagerson combining with Ayrshire Bulls loosehead Gordon Reid making up the front row. Glasgow lock Scott Cummings has been promoted from the bench to feature alongside the returning Gray, while back row Jamie Ritchie completes the loose forwards alongside Wilson and Thomson.
'You get the sense Gregor Townsend delights in slinging curveballs and catching onlookers and adversaries alike on the hop’
– @JLyall93 on the difficult task of choosing the @Scotlandteam squad for @rugbyworldcup https://t.co/VkTQJnqjq0— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 4, 2019
In the backs, Saracens centre Duncan Taylor combines with a Sam Johnson in a new-look midfield, Glasgow half-backs half Ali Price and Adam Hastings get their second chance to start together in the campaign, while Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham return to start alongside fit-again Seymour.
Scotland team (to play Georgia on Friday)
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 14 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 51 caps
13. Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 22 caps
12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
11. Darcy Graham – 6 caps
10. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 26 caps
1. Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls) – 36 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 51 caps
6. Ryan Wilson CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 44 caps
7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 11 caps
8. Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – 1 cap
Substitutes:
16. Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
17. Allan Dell (Edinburgh) – 24 caps
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 21 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 20 caps
20. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 7 caps
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 6 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 42 caps
23. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 9 caps
WATCH: Rival Six Nations boss Warren Gatland believes Wales have what it takes to win the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments