HEAD coach Kenny Murray has made four changes to his Scotland Under-20s team as they look to finish a tough ‘Summer Series’ campaign on a positive note against Ireland at the Stadio Di Monigo in Treviso tomorrow morning [11am kick-off].
Having come up well short in all three pool matches, and lost 59-5 to this opposition during the Six Nations, the portents are not great for the young Scots, but Murray is determined to remain upbeat.
“We have scored some good tries throughout this tournament and we will look to take our opportunities in the same way again this time round,” he said.
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In the pack, Murray has added hooker Patrick Harrison and tight-head prop Callum Norrie to his run-on line-up, with Gregor Hiddleston reverting from hooker to openside flanker in a reshuffled back-row which also features Ollie Leatherbarrow coming back into the starting XV at No 8 with skipper Rhys Tait moving to blindside flanker.
The only change behind the scrum is at stand-off with Euan Cunningham taking over from Christian Townsend, who has a foot injury.
There are 26 players in the matchday squad because of the condensed nature of the tournament. All 11 substitutes are available to be used during the match.
“We know from the Under-20 Six Nations in the spring that Ireland are a very good side who will challenge us but this group have worked hard throughout the campaign and know what they need to do to be able to put in a performance that they will be proud of,” added Murray.
Scotland Under-20s (v Ireland Under-20s in the Six Nations U20 Summer Series, Stadio di Monigo, Treviso, Tuesday @ 11am British time): K Clark (Southern Knights); K Johnston (Gala), D Munn (Boroughmuir Bears), A Stirrat (GHA/Ayrshire Bulls), G Jones (Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders); E Cunningham (Stirling County), B Afshar (Edinburgh Accies/Southern Knights/Newcastle University); I Carmichael (Glasgow Hawks/Boroughmuir Bears), P Harrison (Watsonians/Edinburgh Rugby), C Norrie (Strathallan School/Stirling County), J Taylor (Ealing Trailfinders), M Williamson (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors), R Tait (Boroughmuir Bears/Glasgow Warriors, captain), G Hiddleston (GHA/Stirling County), O Leatherbarrow (Exeter Chiefs).
Substitutes: D Hood (Bath University), A Rogers (Glasgow Hawks/Ayrshire Bulls), G Scougall (Currie Chieftains/Watsonians), J Lascelles (Gloucester Rugby/ Hartpury College), J Spurway (Stirling County/Durham University), T Brown (Glasgow Hawks/Ayrshire Bulls), T Glendinning (Glasgow Hawks/Ayrshire Bulls), R McKnight (Stirling County/Glasgow Warriors), L McConnell (Boroughmuir Bears), R Brown (Southern Knights/Edinburgh Rugby), F Burgess (Glasgow Hawks/Stirling County).
Be prepared for a poor result…this Ireland side are proper good. I’ve seen them close up and half the side are the new Leinster team in five years time.
Our lads are nowhere near their standard….through no fault of their own.
I hope its not the case but I’m a realist.
Final shot guys. Hope you go out on a high.