BLAIR KINGHORN has been released by Scotland to line-up at stand-off for Edinburgh in tomorrow [Friday] night’s United Rugby Championship clash against Connacht at the DAM Health Stadium,
James Lang playing at outside-centre and scrum-half Ben Vellacott who has been named on the bench have also been released by Scotland for this match.
Head coach Mike Blair has made six personnel and one positional change to his starting XV from the side he sent out against Connacht a fortnight ago, with inside-centre Chris Dean and scrum-half Henry Pyrgos being added to the backline, while hooker Dave Cherry (making his 50th appearance for the club), tight-head prop Angus Williams, second-row Pierce Phillips and Fijian international No 8 Mesulame Kunavula come into the pack.
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Meanwhile, 20-year-old second-row Jamie Campbell and 18-year-old back-row Rudi Brown are set for debuts off the bench.
“We’ve had three difficult away games on the bounce, so we can’t wait to be back playing in front of our own fans at DAM Health Stadium,” said Blair.
“It’s a Friday night, a good crowd is expected and I know our guys will be fired up to pull on the jersey and represent this club and city.
“During this period, we’ve seen a lot of young players step up and we’ll need the same again on Friday night. We want the crowd to get right behind us and we want them to appreciate some of the young talented players coming through, who give their all to the jersey every time they step on the pitch.”
Edinburgh (v Connacht at the DAM Health Stadium, Friday @ 7.35pm): H Immelman; R Moyano, J Lang, C Dean, E Boffelli; B Kinghorn (vice-captain), H Pyrgos (captain); B Venter, D Cherry (vice-captain), A Williams, P Phillips, G Young, B Muncaster, C Boyle, M Kunavula. Substitutes: A McBurney, H Courtney, L Atalifo, J Campbell, R Brown, B Vellacott, J van der Walt, M Currie.
Unavailable due to injury: Luan de Bruin, Luke Crosbie, Nick Haining, Damien Hoyland, James Johnstone, Viliame Mata, Jamie Ritchie, Marshall Sykes, Ben Toolis
International selection: Mark Bennett, Magnus Bradbury, Darcy Graham, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Hodgson, Stuart McInally, WP Nel, Pierre Schoeman, Hamish Watson
If Rudi Brown comes on for debut he will be 18 years and 80 days old.
I think Jamie Dobie made his Glasgow debut at 18 years and 110 days old.
Not sure who the youngest ever Edinburgh player is but Brown must be close?
More importantly,unlike Dobie,appears he is still at school!
Stand off is less of an issue than for decades Russell and Hastings are both really good however as the pack continues to get bullied it’s tough to work behind forwards on the back foot. Plus goodness only knows what Scotland’s attack coach is thinking – Scotland created at least 5 overlaps that I counted and threw most of them away with unnecessary miss-passes which allowed France to scramble or they were fumbled. Take out the man and we’d have scored. Please, please, please Santa send us a new attack coach – and preferably way before Xmas.
Why is Standoff such a horror position for Scotland, is John Rutherford the last true great?
Hutchison and Owsley not mentioned are they away withthe 7s.
Good to see Munctasre get another game for Edinburgh – even if out of position – for the boy has a potentially bright future. Also keen to have a look at the two lads who have broken into the 23. Scottish rugby needs new talent to keep coming through the pipeline, so let’s see how they do. Kinghorn is back at stand-off, which is where he should be for his club but never at international level. Is this a sign that Toony has been restored to his senses and Hastings will be brought in from the cold? You can only hope.