U19 warm-ups continue
Teams continue to warm up for the IRB’s Under-19 World Championship in Belfast in April.
There are two matches in the Six Nations this weekend – Scotland against Italy in Melrose and France against Wales in Souges.
France vs Wales
Wales go to France brimming with confidence after coming from 9-0 down at half-time against Ireland last week to win 31-9.
This success has not stopped coach Justin Burnell from making changes – seven of them altogether as the experimenting continues.
Captain Josh Turnbull switches from lock to flank, his more usual position, Nathan White coming into the second row. At hooker Huw Dowden replaces Ben Roberts. Behind the scrum Rhys Webb starts at scrumhalf ahead of Gareth Williams, Nicholas Harwood replaces Rhys Williams and wing Jimmy Norris replaces Cardiff’s James Egan.
Teams:
France: 15 Belie, 14 Camara, 13 Bastareaud, 12 Gimenez, 11 Zagar, 10 Parra (captain), 9 Tomas, 8 Thuery, 7 Kosse, 6 Chollon, 5 Jaulhac, 4 Maestri, 3 Agnesi, 2 Raffault, 1 Olive.
Replacements: 16 Iapteff, 17 Merle, 18 Ric, 19 Roidot, 20 Lakafia, 21 Giacobbazzi
Wales: 15 Daniel Evans (Llanelli & Scarlets), 14 Jimmy Norris (Bedwas & Dragons), 13 Luke Ford (Glamorgan Wanderers & Blues), 12 Nick Harwood (Bonymaen & Ospreys), 11 Leigh Halfpenny (Neath & Ospreys), 10 David Langdon (Ebbw Vale & Dragons),9 Rhys Webb (Bridgend & Ospreys),8 Sam Warburton (Glamorgan Wanderers), 7 Lloyd Phillips (Narberth & Scarlets), 6 Josh Turnbull (captain, Llanelli & Scarlets), 5 Haydn Pugh (Llangennech & Scarlets), 4 Nathan White (Maesteg Quins & Ospreys), 3 Patrick Palmer (Llantrisant & Blues), 2 Huw Dowden (Beddau & Blues), 1 Ryan Bevington (Bridgend & Ospreys)
Replacements: 16 Gareth Williams (Glamorgan Wanderers & Blues), 17 Gareth Owen (Maesteg & Ospreys), 18 Luke Hathaway (Newport & Ospreys), 19 Ben Roberts (Ebbw Vale & Dragons), 20 Lloyd Elliott (Tondu & Ospreys), 21 Philip Price (Bridgend Athletic & Ospreys), 22 Jevon Groves (Cardiff & Blues),23 Jonathan Griffiths (Glynneath & Ospreys)
Date: Friday, 23 Fenbruary 2007
Kick-off: 19.30
Venue: Stade de la plaine sportive, Sorgues
Referee: Ger English (Ireland)
Touch judges: Jean-Pierre Pellaprat (France), Laurent Cardona (France)
Scotland vs Italy
Teams:
Scotland squad:
Forwards: Josh Brown (Bristol & Filton College), Kevin Bryce (Glasgow, Stirling County and Central Institute of Sport), Steven Burton (Currie), Craig Charters (Hawick PSA), Angus Dixon (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), Adrian Duncan (Stewart’s Melville FP), Ralph McAnally (Perthshire), Fraser McKenzie (Edinburgh Rugby, Dunfermline and Tayside & Fife Institute of Sport), Lewis Niven (Edinburgh Accies & Trinity), Neale Patrick (Dunfermline), Craig Simmonds (Dalziel), Joe Stafford (Glasgow, Hillhead-Jordanhill and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Gary Strain (Dalziel), Alexandre Wukovits (Begles Bordeaux)
Backs: Murray Allan (Stewart’s Melville FP), Ruairidh Bonner (Edinburgh Accies), Tom Bury (Edinburgh Accies), Harry Duthie (Harrogate), Ruairidh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors, Cartha Queens Park and West of Scotland Institute of Sport), Lee Jones (Selkirk), Chris Kinloch (Fettes & Edinburgh Accies), Stephen McColl (Dunfermline, Caledonia and Tayside & Fife Institute of Sport), James Murray (Edinburgh Accies), Matthew Roxburgh-Heeks (London Scottish), Ross Samson (Tynedale), Johnnie Smart (Dunfermline).
Italian squad: Pietro Aggio (Femi CZ Rovigo), Alberto Bergamo (Cammi Calvisano), Riccardo Bocchino (Almaviva Ur Capitolina), Alberto Cazzola (Asr Montebelluna), Alberto Chiesa (Bellabarba Livorno), Tommaso D’Apice (Marsec Benevento), Andrea De Marchi (Benetton Treviso), Simone Favaro (Benetton Treviso), Francesco Fiorani (Benetton Treviso), Filippo Giusti (Colleferro), Marcello Magri (Stade Francais), Luca Martinelli (Marsec Benevento), Giovanni Massaro (Marsec Benevento), Rudolf Mernone (Almaviva Ur Capitolina), Gabriele Morelli (Cammi Calvisano), Guido Orlandini (Rolly Gran Parma), Andrea Pratichetti (E.Mantovani Pol. Lazio 1927), Roberto Quartaroli (Infinito L’Aquila), Massimiliano Ravalle (Overmach Cariparma), Edoardo Rotella (Almaviva Ur Capitolina), Giacomo Sala (Grande Milano), Lorenzo Sebastiani (Infinito L’Aquila), Nicola Simion (Benetton Treviso), Martino Tonini (Cus Genova), Elia Violi (Cammi Calvisano), Michael Wilson (Saracens)
Coaches: Stefano Romagnoli, Andrea Cavinato
Date: Sunday, 25 Fenbruary 2007
Kick-off: 14.30
Venue: The Greenyards, Melrose
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Touch judges: Iain Heard (Scotland), Alan Forrest (Scotland)
Assessor: Ian Douglas Burnell rings changes for France