Stafford McDowall to fill Sione Tuipulotu void for Scotland against Italy

Glasgow Warriors centre Stafford McDowall will start at inside centre for Scotland against Italy on Saturday in the opening match of their Guinness Six Nations campaign, filling the void left by injured captain Sione Tuipulotu.

In what is otherwise a settled Scotland side with 10 players in the starting XV with more than 40 caps, the question leading into the Championship was always who would take Tuipulotu’s No. 12 jersey.

The eight-cap McDowall has been chosen initially by Gregor Townsend, and will partner his Glasgow team-mate Huw Jones in the midfield.

While Scotland will be without one stalwart in Tuipulotu, they also welcome back second-row Jonny Gray, who is in line to earn his first cap in almost two years in Edinburgh.

Fixture

Six Nations

Scotland

31 - 19

Full-time

Italy

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“The players know that this is the biggest tournament that they play in and getting to start at home is massive for them,” Townsend said.

“[Italy] are a really quality side and they’ve shown that now for two or three years. They’ll come into this tournament full of confidence. They had a really good performance against New Zealand but in last year’s Six Nations they had upped their game and were competitive in four out of five games, won two, drew one and one of those victories was against us, so they’ll be very confident feeling they can beat us again.

Looking at the return to the squad for Gray and hooker Dave Cherry – who will play his first Test since the 2023 World Cup – Townsend said: “The fact that both of them have not been involved since the World Cup and Jonny before the World Cup, I’m sure they’ll be desperate to play their best ever game in a Scotland jersey.”

On McDowall’s selection, he said: “Stafford’s been very consistent for Glasgow and for us when he’s had the opportunity over the last two or three years. He really brings his physicality and his edge to the game, both in attack and defence.”

Scotland XV
15. Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (55)
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (42)
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (53)
12. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (8)
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (44)
10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (82) CO-CAPTAIN
9. Ben White – Toulon (24)
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (37)
2. Dave Cherry – Edinburgh Rugby (11)
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (70)
4. Jonny Gray – Bordeaux Bègles (77)
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (75)
6. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (54)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (25) CO-CAPTAIN
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (50)

Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (22)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (37)
18. Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (4)
19. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (4)
20. Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (22)
21. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (34)
22. Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (3)
23. Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (9)