Kebble on Scotland bench for France clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Rory Darge will make his first start for Scotland on Saturday when they take on France in the Six Nations Championship at Murrayfield.
The Glasgow Warriors flank made his international debut at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff earlier this month and is named alongside Hamish Watson and Magnus Bradbury in a new-look starting back row. Bradbury has been involved in the two previous Six Nations matches but will start his first game for Scotland since 2020 on Saturday.
Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Skinner replaces his club teammate Jonny Gray, who is ruled out through injury, in the second row and will partner Edinburgh’s Grant Gilchrist fresh from collecting his 50th cap in Cardiff.
Edinburgh duo Pierre Schoeman and Stuart McInally retain their front row berths from the Wales v Scotland match with Glasgow Warriors’ Zander Fagerson returning to the starting line-up.
Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu starts for a second consecutive game at inside centre, alongside Gloucester’s Chris Harris in midfield.
Worcester Warriors’ Duhan van der Merwe continues on the left wing with Edinburgh’s Darcy Graham occupying the right-wing position after his try scoring appearance in Wales.
Glasgow Warriors’ Ali Price and Racing 92’s Finn Russell are the halfback pairing for the sixth game in a row and Exeter Chiefs fullback Stuart Hogg will lead the team out 10 years on from his first start for Scotland, against France in 2012.
In the replacements, Glasgow Warriors’ hooker George Turner and Edinburgh Rugby prop WP Nel are named along with Oli Kebble who is included after joining the squad this week.
Edinburgh’s Jamie Hodgson and Nick Haining will be aiming to make their first appearances in this year’s Six Nations off the bench. Hodgson made his Scotland debut in the Nations Series against Tonga and featured in two subsequent matches.
London Irish’s Ben White is once again selected as well as Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn.
Kinghorn’s teammate at club level, Mark Bennett, makes his return to a Scotland squad for the first time since 2018 and will start from the bench. The centre has impressed for Edinburgh this season and will look to add to his 22 caps in an international career that has seen him start on 17 occasions and score six tries.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg (captain), 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Rory Darge, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 WP Nel, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Nick Haining, 21 Ben White, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Mark Bennett.
Date: Saturday, February 26
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 14.15 (15.15 France time, 14.15 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
