LAST UPDATE | 10 Mar 2022
KYLE STEYN WILL make his first Six Nations start for Scotland as one of five changes to the starting XV for this Saturday’s clash with Italy in Rome.
The Glasgow winger’s only previous appearances in the tournament was in 2020 when he came off the bench against France.
Steyn enjoyed a stunning first start for Scotland when he scored four tries against Tonga in October and he will now get another chance to make an impact in the inaugural Cuttitta Cup match at Stadio Olimpico.
Matt Fagerson returns from injury to start at number eight, while Hamish Watson is also named in the starting line-up having missed the last match against France through coronavirus.
Centre Sam Johnson and front-rower George Turner are the others added to the team.
In the replacements, Edinburgh scrum-half Ben Vellacott is in line to make his debut, while Gloucester scrum-half Adam Hastings could make his first appearance of the tournament from the bench after being a surprise omission from Gregor Townsend’s squad for the three previous matches.
Ali Price will win his 50th cap at scrum-half as the Scots bid to reignite their campaign following back-to-back defeats away to Wales and at home to France.
The five players to drop out are Stuart McInally, Magnus Bradbury, Sione Tuipulotu, Nick Haining and the suspended Duhan van der Merwe.
Kieran Crowley has made two injury-enforced changes to his Italian side, meanwhile, with Callum Braley replacing Stephen Varney at scrum-half after the latter was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with an unspecified injury, and Giacomo Nicotera set for his debut at hooker after Gianmarco Lucchesi suffered a dislocated elbow.
Italy will otherwise begin with the same side that started against Ireland.
Scotland team to play Italy
Stuart Hogg (capt); Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sam Johnson, Kyle Steyn; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Matt Fagerson, Hamish Watson, Rory Darge; Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner; Zander Fagerson, George Turner, Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: Stuart McInally, Allan Dell, WP Nel, Jamie Hodgson, Magnus Bradbury, Ben Vellacott, Adam Hastings, Sione Tuipulotu
Italy team to play Scotland
Edoardo Padovani; Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Leonardo Marin, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Callum Braley; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Pietro Ceccarelli; Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (capt), Toa Halafihi
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Ivan Nemer, Giosuè Zilocchi, David Sisi, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Marco Zanon, Ange Capuozzo
- Updated at 13:46 with confirmation of the Italian team
