SCOTLAND HEAD COACH Gregor Townsend has named Blair Kinghorn at out-half for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland [KO 4.45pm, Virgin Media One], with Finn Russell dropping to the bench.
Kinghorn has only converted from fullback to out-half with club side Edinburgh this season but gets handed a huge opportunity against Ireland in the final round of the Six Nations.
Racing 92 playmaker Russell has to settle for the back-up role off the bench as 25-year-old Kinghorn makes just his second Test start in the number 10 shirt. Adam Hastings drops out of the matchday squad altogether.
Exeter second row Jonny Gray has also come into the starting XV for the Scots having recovered from the injury that kept him out of their last two Six Nations games.
Otherwise, Scotland are unchanged from last weekend’s win away to Italy, with captain Stuart Hogg continuing in the back three with Darcy Graham and Kyle Steyn. Chris Harris and Sam Johnson team up in midfield, while Ali Price continues at scrum-half.
The front row of Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, and Zander Fagerson will look to pressure Ireland at scrum time, while Gray joins Grant Gilchrist in the second row.
The potent back row of Rory Darge, Hamish Watson, and Matt Fagerson could cause Ireland some problems.
Scotland (v Ireland):
- 15. Stuart Hogg (captain)
- 14. Darcy Graham
- 13. Chris Harris
- 12. Sam Johnson
- 11. Kyle Steyn
- 10. Blair Kinghorn
- 9. Ali Price
- 1. Pierre Schoeman
- 2. George Turner
- 3. Zander Fagerson
- 4. Jonny Gray
- 5. Grant Gilchrist
- 6. Rory Darge
- 7. Hamish Watson
- 8. Matt Fagerson
Replacements:
- 16. Fraser Brown
- 17. Allan Dell
- 18. WP Nel
- 19. Sam Skinner
- 20. Josh Bayliss
- 21. Ben White
- 22. Finn Russell
- 23. Mark Bennett
Referee: Wayne Barnes [RFU].
