Scotland's new-look team for season-opener unveiled

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Stafford McDowall will start at inside centre in Scotland’s opening Six Nations match against Italy on Saturday.

The Glasgow Warriors centre, who captained the side against Portugal in November last year, will partner the experienced Huw Jones in the centre.

The familiar duo of Ben White (No.9) and Finn Russell (No.10), who is named as co-captain, start as halfbacks.

The players selected in the back three have amassed nearly 150 caps combined – with Darcy Graham starting alongside Duhan van der Merwe on the wings, and Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn at fullback.

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🗣️ Head Coach Gregor Townsend discusses some of the key talking points from his line up for the opening round of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations. #AsOne | @SixNationsRugby pic.twitter.com/BbfnaCId44

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) January 30, 2025

Matt Fagerson, who won a 50th cap for Scotland in a year-end Tests match against Australia in November, is named at the back of the scrum, with flanks Rory Darge, also co-captain, and Jamie Ritchie completing the back row.

At the front of the scrum, loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman lines up alongside returning hooker Dave Cherry, who plays his first Scotland game since the 2023 World Cup, with Zander Fagerson at tighthead.

Bordeaux’s Jonny Gray, who is in line for a first cap in nearly two years, joins Edinburgh’s Grant Gilchrist in the second row to complete the pack.

Providing cover for the starting XV, in the forwards, are Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland and Will Hurd in the front row, with Gregor Brown and Jack Dempsey also selected.

George Horne, Tom Jordan and Kyle Rowe round off Scotland’s first squad of the tournament.

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell (co-captain), 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Rory Darge (co-captain), 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Gregor Brown, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 George Horne, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Kyle Rowe.

Date: Saturday, February 1
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 14.15 (15.15 Italian time; 14.15 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England) & Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)