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Scotland team for Natwest 6 Nations opener with Wales named
Head Coach Gregor Townsend has named six changes to the Scotland team that started against Australia in November for this Saturday’s NatWest 6 Nations opener against Wales at the Principality Stadium (3 February, kick-off 14.15GMT).
Glasgow Warriors full-back Stuart Hogg – a late withdrawal from November’s win over the Wallabies – and Newcastle Falcons centre Chris Harris are the two changes to the back division (the latter making his first start), while Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh, Ben Toolis and Cornell du Preez come into the starting pack.
Props Welsh and Reid last featured for Scotland in 2015 and last year’s summer tour respectively, while du Preez and Toolis have been elevated from their replacement status in the Wallabies win.
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See your Scotland team to face Wales this Saturday ?#AsOne pic.twitter.com/oDa2HhlucE
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 31, 2018
Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend, said: “We’ve selected a squad that we believe can start the NatWest 6 Nations championship with the intensity and speed required to win in Cardiff.
“Last year’s championship highlighted that every game is a fierce competition and that all teams have to play at their very best to win away from home. Delivering that level of performance has been firmly in our thoughts during our preparations this week.
“We’re expecting a really physical game against a very good team. Wales have one of the best defences in the game and an attack that sees forwards passing much more and a structure that enables backs to get on ball.
“I’m sure it’ll be great occasion to kick off this year’s championship and we can’t wait to get started.”
An otherwise unchanged back line sees scrum-half Ali Price start his ninth Test in the past ten Scotland matches to partner stand-off Finn Russell at half-back.
Centre Huw Jones makes his first appearance for Scotland at inside-centre (where he made nine out of ten starts for Western Province in last year’s Currie Cup winning season), accommodating incoming outside-centre Harris.
Sale Sharks wing Byron McGuigan [right] retains his place alongside Tommy Seymour and Hogg after his late inclusion against Australia yielded two tries and a man-of-the-match award.
Hooker Stuart McInally starts in the front-row between Welsh and Reid, with captain John Barclay and Hamish Watson returning to partner du Preez in the back-row.
Other notable inclusions on the bench see 2017 British & Irish Loins tourist Greig Laidlaw back in Scotland colours for the first time since last year’s tournament, while replacement hooker Scott Lawson’s last involvement was in 2014.
At the opposite end of the experience spectrum Edinburgh Rugby prop Murray McCallum (21) could make his debut if called up from the bench.
Scotland team to play Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff
NatWest 6 Nations Round 1: Saturday 2 February (kick-off 14.15GMT)
15. Stuart Hogg VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 55 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps
13. Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) – 1 cap
12. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps
11. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) – 2 caps
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 32 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps
1. Gordon Reid (London Irish) – 27 caps
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps
3. Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 11 caps
4. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) – 7 caps
5. Jonny Gray VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 38 caps
6. John Barclay CAPTAIN (Scarlets) – 66 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 15 caps
8. Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps
Substitutes
16. Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons) – 46 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps
18. Murray McCallum (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
19. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 18 caps
20. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 32 caps
21. Greig Laidlaw (ASM Clermont Auvergne) – 58 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 28 caps
23. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 29 caps
Townsend upbeat over Scotland’s Six Nations chances
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
9 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.
35 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.
2 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
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
35 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.
35 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.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments