SCOTLAND ‘A’ will play England ‘A’ at Leicester’s Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on Sunday 27th June, the day after the Lions play Japan at Murrayfield, it has been confirmed.
The match will lead into the full national team’s mini-tour of Europe to play two Test matches against Romania on 10th July and Georgia on 17th July.
With eight Scotland players selected for this summer’s Lions tour to South Africa, Scotland’s three match schedule will provide a valuable opportunity to give exposure to a number of fringe and emerging players.
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Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend and his defence guru Steve Tandy are also away with the Lions, so Mike Blair will oversee the national team’s summer schedule.
In line with government guidance, stadiums will be operating at a reduced capacity. It is expected that 6,000 supporters will be allowed into Welford Road, with the potential to increase these numbers if guidelines allow in the coming weeks.
Ticket details for England A v Scotland A will be confirmed shortly.
Kick-off times and broadcast arrangements are to be confirmed.
“For me, the ability to play A team fixtures is a key area of player development and given the depth we are now able to draw on around the Scotland men’s national team, it will provide an important opportunity for those pushing for international selection,” said Scottish Rugby’s Director of High Performance, Jim Mallinder.
“After seeing such a positive number of Scotland players called up for the British & Irish Lions the summer series of matches opens up our options even further for player selection.”
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Considering there’s a interim coaching team, I’d say there’ll be a fairly normal squad with a couple of youngsters. Expect Pierre Schoeman to get capped this summer.
1. Oli Kebble
2. Ewan Ashman
3. WP Nel
4. Grant Gilchrist
5. Sam Skinner
6. Jamie Ritchie (C)
7. Tom Gordon
8. Matt Fagerson
9. Jamie Dobie
10. Adam Hastings
11. Kyle Steyn
12. Cameron Redpath
13. Huw Jones
14. Rufus McLean
15. Sean Maitland
16. Stuart McInally / David Cherry
17. Jamie Bhatti / Pierre Schoeman
18. Mak Wilson / McCallum / Rae
19. Hunter-Hill / Alex Craig
20. Luke Crosbie / Josh Bayliss
21. George Horne / Charlie Sheil
22. James Lang / Jaco vdW
23. Rory Hutchinson / Fraser Dingwall
Matt Currie, Jack Blain and Ollie Smith are part of the future but need another season of pro rugby before going on any international tours.
SQ players under the age of 24 for the A game: potential strongest line-up
Forbes (21) – Graham (23) – Dingwall (22) – Redpath (21) – Blain (21) – Thompson (22) – Dobie (19) – Fagerson (22) – Boyle (21) – Bayliss (23) – Meihuizen (23) – Hodgson (23) – Nicol (23) – Ashman(21) – McBeth (22)
Mcdowall (23) – Healy (21) – Shiel (23) – Muncaster (19) – Sykes (21) – Wilson (20) – Harrison (18) – Rodd (20)
Some other options..
McLean (21)
Currie (20)
Chapman (22)
Chamberlain (21)
Savala (21)
Brown (19)
Darge (19)
Masterson (23)
Marshall (21)
Christie (22)
Dodd (23)
Bain (23)
Henderson (21)
Grahamslaw (22)
Gamble (20)
Lambert (20)
Regarding the race to ‘capture’ dual qualified players, I do wonder if there should be a stand-down period for the likes of Zach Mercer – capped twice by England then out in the cold, now heading to Montpellier so no longer available to them. I suspect several coaches are more concerned about boosting their player pool and getting back at other nations rather than what’s best for the player involved.
Who’s Mak Wilson that most seem to be picking :-O?
Mak Wilson is a former Sco u20s and Southern Knights tighthead, who now plays his trade at Harlequins.
Think big Henderson of Leicester has to be in there for the A squad at the very least.
Suggestions elsewhere that A game isn’t a capture test as England A is not their second team officially, which is England Saxons.
No idea of true but realistically, all those dual qualified fringe players should in line for the capped tests if they are good enough – Ashman, Baylis have already been in 6N squad and good to add McBeth, Rodman if they want to opt for Scotland. Romania is a great chance to field a second string side with a stronger side out for Georgia, who could be a tough fixture if we don’t take seriously.
In an apparent nod to “diversity”, the “Saxons” name has been ditched. Consequently, England A would appear to be the Sassenach 2nd XV (unless they nominate U-20’s).
What next, will a name change be forced upon the Barbarians?
Presumably following complaints from Angles and Jutes!
Scotland A/touring side
Captain: Jamie Ritchie, Vice-Captain: Scott Cummings
Rough idea for touring squad
Blair Kinghorn and Cole Forbes (FB)
Sean Maitland, Jack Blain, Rufus McLean & Kyle Steyn (Wing)
Rory Hutchison, Stafford Mcdowall, Cameron Redpath & Duncan Taylor (Centres)
Jaco Van Der Valt, Ross Thompson, Nathan Chamberlain (FH)
Ben Vellacott, Jamie Dobie, George Horne (SH)
Nick Haining, Ben Muncaster (No 8)
Jamie Ritchie, Luke Crosbie, Tom Gordon, Connor Boyle, Josh Bayliss (Flanker)
Scott Cummings, Callum Hunter Hill, Alex Craig, David Meihuizen (Lock)
WP Nel, Jack Owlett, Mak Wilson (TH)
Stuart Mcinally, Ewan Ashman, Grant Stewart
Oli Kebble, Nathan McBeth, Sam Grahamslaw
I would be looking for a 1/3 experience to 2/3 new/early cap players each game.
I think the suggested line-up from before was referring specifically to the ‘A’ game which usually won’t have players who are already capped in them, or if then only players with few caps. Hence the inexperienced squad. In terms of a wider touring squad though, I think you’re pretty spot on with those suggestions.
I would include Shiel amongst the SH’s and Currie in the Centres though personally because I think they’ve showed promise.
Good squad, but i think you’ve chosen too many youngsters who’ve barely cut their teeth at pro level.
Expect a handful of kids and a few uncapped SQed pros in amoungst a fairly nominal squad.
I would not be going full uncapped and young/inexperienced.
I would be looking for a balance. For example a back-Three of Maitland – Blain – McLean, experienced heads to complement the youth to improve our chances of winning but more importantly for the youth players to get experience and learn the systems off.
I would like to Ritchie go purely to get captaincy experience, possibly Cummings also for this reason.
Of the squad named there, I’d probably make Luke Crosbie captain. Worked well a few weeks ago for Edinburgh.
I like that team (except Darcy Rae as a loosehead) i have went for a bit of experience with mine to blend that youth with putting them in a winning environment and playing with some of our best to learn from.
1. Oli Kebble
2. Ewan Ashman (New Cap)
3. WP Nel
4. Grant Gilchrist
5. Callum-Hunter Hill (New Cap)
6. Jamie Ritchie (C)
7. Tom Gordon (New Cap)
8. Matt Fagerson
9. Jamie Dobie (New Cap)
10. Adam Hastings
11. Kyle Steyn
12. Cameron Redpath (1 Cap)
13. Huw Jones
14. Jack Blain (New Cap)
15. Sean Maitland
16. Stuart McInally
17. Jamie Bhatti
18. Mak Wilson (New Cap)
19. Jamie Hodgson (New Cap)
20. Luke Crosbie (New Cap)
21. George Horne
22. Ross Thompson (New Cap)
23. Rufus McLean (New Cap)
Other inexperienced players i would swap in an out for the Romania/Georgia games.
Murray McCallum
Glen Young
Kiran Mcdonald
Connor Boyle
Ben Vellacott
Ross Thompson
Nathan Chamberlain (needs to be around better 10’s)
Stafford Mcdowall
Rory Hutchison
Cole Forbes
Excellent proposal. Long-overdue return of “A” internationals….?
Hopefully presaging the emergence of a Scottish Thistles pro team coming in to replace the unsustainable cash-burning cost centres otherwise known as Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby. As part od a wider, more comprehensive, integrated strategic plan – of course!
come on Ron, tell us why you wouldn’t get rid of all pro teams in Scotland? Or how your one pro team would manage to field teams when players are required by Scotland?
Ooh Septic – you are such a stinker! Frankly, it is all so obvious, to anyone capable of constructive cerebral machinations….
The answer to your request is in fact contained in the final sentence of my comment. If necessary, I will post a summary, but I do harbour strong fears that you may continue to struggle.
come on Ron, do tell. Submit an article even, I’m sure Mr Barnes would welcome one to show us the way forward
and don’t forget to include how many players eligible for Scotland you envisage playing professional top level rugby in your master plan
Glad to see this. Think we’ve won or drawn the last few A games v England, including of course the game that featured this classic – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY38X51iBfY.
15 cole forbes
14 rufus mclean
13 matt currie
12 stafford mcdowell
11 kyle steyn
10 ross thompson
9 jamie dobbie
8 magnus bradbury
7 tom gordon
6 luke crosbie
5 callum hunter hill
4 jamie hodgson
3 mak wilson
2 jonny matthews
1 darcy rae
Agree with most. D’Arcy Rae is however a Tightness prop so he’s not ideal there. Bevan Rodd and/or Nathan McBeth would be ideal if they choose to play for Scotland.
If it was me I’d look at something similar but have Matthews off the bench with Ewan Ashman starting, and have a bench along the lines of:
16: Johnny Matthews (Glasgow)
17: Nathan McBeth (Lions) {if Rodd available}/Tom Lambert (Glasgow)
18: Dan Gamble (Edinburgh)
19: David Meihuizen (Stormers)
20: Andy Christie (Saracens)
21: Charlie Shiel(Edinburgh)
22: Nathan Chamberlain (Edinburgh)
23: Jack Blain (Edinburgh)
Quite a few Edinburgh players admittedly, but balances out the 7 Glasgow players to 4 Edinburgh in the starting team.
like that mate, school boy error with Rae, oops! whos skipper of scotland A you recon? i think it will be someone like Bradbury/wilson/prygros