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Scotland team news

Hugh Barrow13 Aug 2015 - 11:53
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Team for Saturday

BLAKE TO MAKE FIRST START FOR SCOTLAND

Head Coach Vern Cotter will hand 22-­year-­old back-­row Hugh Blake his first start for Scotland against Ireland in this Saturday’s Summer Test at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (15 August, kick-­off 5pm) – live on Sky Sports.

After his December arrival, Blake was an unused squad member during the 2015 RBS 6 Nations, but impressed for Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland 7s before earning a move west in the summer.

His Glasgow Warriors teammate Mike Cusack (prop) could also make his debut from the bench.

The Ireland Test is the first in a four match schedule to be played on consecutive Saturdays, as the extended 47-­man squad gear up for the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Back-­to-­back fixtures against Italy will follow in Turin (22nd) and Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield (29th), with the home encounter fans’ only chance to see Scotland on home soil before the Rugby World Cup 2015 – tickets from £15 for adults, £5 for under-­18s and FREE for U12s with a paying adult.

The Scotland team will then announce the final 31-­man squad for the Rugby World Cup before concluding preparations against France in Paris on Saturday 5 September.

Head Coach Vern Cotter, said: “It’s been important to get a good look at everyone over the last two months.

“The strength and conditioning team have worked hard to get more power and endurance from our players, while we’ve also focused a lot on basic skill sets.

“The successful application of these elements will enable us to perform the various forms of rugby that we would like to play; dominating collisions and using these skill sets to become better at making and executing decisions.

“These 23 players now have the first chance to stake a claim for the final 31-­man squad for the Rugby World Cup, against what we know is quality opposition.”

Scrum-­half Henry Pyrgos will start as captain for the first time alongside stand-­off Greig Tonks, who will make his first start for his country since switching from his once favoured full-­back position at the start of the 2014/15 season.

Peter Horne will reform the Guinness PRO12 winning centre partnership with fellow Warrior Richie Vernon, who makes his first appearance for Scotland since transforming from a number 8 two years ago.

The backs are completed by Sean Lamont, Tim Visser and Ruaridh Jackson, the latter set to make a second appearance at full-­back for the national team, the first coming as a replacement in the victory over USA in Houston last summer.

In the pack, a stomach bug has prevented Stuart McInally from making is debut alongside props Ryan Grant and Jon Welsh, meaning Fraser Brown starts with Ross Ford coming into the squad on the bench.

Jim Hamilton and Grant Gilchrist are behind them in the boiler house; the latter set for his first appearance since captaining Scotland last summer having missed the majority of the 2014/15 season with an arm injury.

Finally, in the back-­row, Blake is joined by Blair Cowan on the blind-­side flank, and David Denton at number 8.

On the bench, forwards Ross Ford, Gordon Reid, Cusack, Rob Harley and John Barclay join backs Sam Hidalgo-­Clyne, Duncan Weir and Matt Scott, with Scott a replacement for Tommy Seymour who sprained his hip in training.

SCOTLAND TEAM (SPONSOR BT) TO PLAY IRELAND IN THIS SATURDAY’S SUMMER TEST MATCH AT THE AVIVA STADIUM IN DUBLIN (15 AUGUST, KICK-­OFF 5PM):

15 Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps) – 25 caps; 3 cons, 2 pens, 2 drops, 18 points

14 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 93 caps; 12 tries, 60 points
13 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps
12 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps
11 Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 18 caps;; 7 tries, 35 points

10 Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) – 4 caps
9 Henry Pygros CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps;; 2 tries, 10 points

1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps
2 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
3 Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 4 caps; 1 try, 5 points
4 Jim Hamilton (Saracens) – 61 caps; 1 try, 5 points
5 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 8 caps; 1 try, 5 points
6 Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 11 caps; 1 try, 5 points
7 Hugh Blake (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 25 caps

Substitutes:
16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 85 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
17 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
18 Mike Cusack (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
19 Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps, 1 try, 5 points
20 John Barclay (Scarlets) – 43 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
21 Sam Hidalgo-­Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps
22 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps, 1 try, 6 pens, 5 cons, 1 drop, 36 points
23 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 25 caps, 3 tries, 15 points

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