Scotland get star flank back for second Los Pumas clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hamish Watson will return from injury to win his 50th Scotland cap in Saturday’s second Test away to Argentina.
The flank replaced Edinburgh teammate Luke Crosbie in a team announced Thursday by Scotland coach Gregor Townsend ahead of this weekend’s clash in Salta.
Townsend has made five changes from the team that lost last weekend’s first Test 18-26 in San Salvador de Jujuy to give Michael Cheika a win on debut as coach of the Pumas.
Ben White will make his first Test start at scrumhalf after replacing Ali Price.
White, who plays his club rugby in England for London Irish, made a try-scoring debut against England earlier this year and won his fifth cap off the bench in the first Test against Argentina.
The other changes are all in the pack where Rory Darge, Sam Skinner and Dave Cherry have joined Watson, a British and Irish Lion.
Darge returned from injury off the bench in the first Test and will make his fourth start for Scotland, with the 22-year-old replacing Magnus Bradbury in the back row.
New Edinburgh signing Skinner has come in for Jonny Gray and will partner Scotland captain Grant Gilchrist at lock
Edinburgh hooker Cherry has been recalled for the first time since playing in all five of Scotland’s Six Nations games in 2021, as a straight swap for George Turner, who drops to the bench.
Bradbury, Crosbie and Gray have all dropped out of the 23-strong matchday squad, while London Irish wing Kyle Rowe could make his debut off the bench.
Scotland: 15 Rory Hutchinson, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Rory Darge, 5 Grant Gilchrist (captain), 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Ali Price, 22 Ross Thompson, 23 Kyle Rowe.
Date: Saturday, July 9
Venue: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta
Kick-off: 16.05 (20.05 UK & Ireland time; 19.05 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
