Scotland name their team for Paris
Scotland have made four changes to the starting side to face France in this Saturday’s third round Six Nations match in Paris.
Back row Magnus Bradbury is the only change to the pack – after a timely, man-of the-match-winning return from injury last weekend – to start in place of the injured Ryan Wilson (knee).
The three remaining changes come in the back division, where Glasgow Warriors playmaker Pete Horne – also in man-of-the-match winning form in the PRO14 last weekend – starts at stand-off in place of Finn Russell, who has a head injury.
Blair Kinghorn replaces the injured Stuart Hogg (shoulder) to earn his third Test start in the full-back role he occupies week in, week out for Edinburgh, while Glasgow Warriors centre Nick Grigg comes into the midfield for injured clubmate Huw Jones (knee).
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said: “Injuries create opportunities for others to show what they can do and, throughout the past couple of seasons, we’ve seen a number of players really step up. All of the players coming in started against Argentina in the summer, which ranks as one of our best ever away performances.
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“On top of that there is cohesion forged through familiarity at club level – Magnus [Bradbury] in the back-row lines up with clubmate Jamie Ritchie, and Pete Horne and Nick Grigg are either side of Sam Johnson in the backs.”
Both Scotland and France go into this Saturday’s Test looking to bounce back from round two defeats against Ireland and England respectively.
Home advantage has been a defining feature of the nations’ last four meetings, with Scotland winning at Murrayfield in the 2016 and 2018 editions of the tournament, while the Scot’s last victory on French soil came en route to the Five Nations title in 1999.
https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1098522829807603713
Townsend, stand-off that day in ’99, is well aware of the potency of the French on home soil. “At home, France have played really well in the past two Championships. They were 16-0 up at half-time against Wales, and their previous Six Nations games before included a win over England and a last minute defeat to the eventual Irish team that went on to win the Grand Slam.
“They are a very dangerous opponent, combining power, ambition and skill. Their individual talent is outstanding and, when they get things right – which has predominantly been in the Six Nations at home – they’ve played with a real collective spirit and fed off the emotion of the crowd. They will certainly be fired up following their loss at Twickenham.”
Reflecting on Scotland’s ambitions, he added: “Like France, we too are coming off the back of a defeat and want to show a better picture of ourselves and play closer to our potential. The players invested a huge amount of effort against Ireland and this energy will be essential once again this weekend.”
Scotland team to play France in Paris in round three of the Six Nations
Saturday 23 February (kick-off 2.15pm GMT)
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 9 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 48 caps
13. Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors) – 6 caps
12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 38 caps
10. Pete Horne VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps
9. Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Clermont Auvergne) – 68 caps
1. Allan Dell (Edinburgh) – 19 caps
2. Stuart McInally VICE CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 24 caps
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 16 caps
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 30 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 48 caps
6. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 4 caps
7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 8 caps
8. Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks) – 19 caps
Substitutes
16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps
17. Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 15 caps
20. Gary Graham (Newcastle Falcons) – 1 cap
21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps
22. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
23. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 1 cap
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments