Gregor Townsend’s reaction to Scotland’s most dominant performance of 2022 is to make seven changes for the first game of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations against England.
Ali Price and Chris Harris, stalwarts in the side for the last five years, have been dropped. Ben White gets his second start and his first partnering Finn Russell. Huw Jones makes his return to the starting team for the first time in two years.
Harris is on the bench, but Price isn’t in the matchday 23 for the first time in six years.
It’s reckoned to be too soon for recent injury concerns Zander Fagerson and Hamish Watson. As widely expected Luke Crosbie slots into the back row, and 36-year-old WP Nel will start at tighthead.
Kyle Steyn is the preferred deputy for Darcy Graham in the 14 jersey.
It’s a flurry of changes from the handsome 52-29 win over Argentina that closed out 2022. But Townsend says he’s seen enough in the intervening two and a half months to make these big calls on selection.
Ben White for Price
SCO 20-17 ENG (R1): A late penalty try helped Scotland retain the Calcutta Cup against the "Auld Enemy". Ben White, a first-half replacement for scrum-half Ali Price, scored a scintillating try on debut. pic.twitter.com/nd5tgNABtW
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 27, 2023
“It was very difficult. Ali has been so good for us (but) it shows the level of competition not just in that position.
“Ben’s been really consistent ever since he came into the squad. He’s had more game time for London Irish this year. He started the majority of games, his kicking game has been outstanding.
“He’s just grown in confidence. There’s someone in form, someone who can play the way want to play which is to be smart with our kicking decisions and playing at real pace.
“Ali’s missed out this time, but we believe we’ll see a reaction and have him back to his best for the rest of this campaign.”
Huw Jones’ return
Morning, Scotland fans 👋
Your team to take on England in our @SixNationsRugby opener on Saturday.
Read more: https://t.co/rPK2uslVMj pic.twitter.com/M1IQfJJ68c
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 2, 2023
“It’s really Huw’s form over the last three or four games. He is in great physical shape, confident around how he’s playing. He’s running really well in attack but most importantly his defensive contributions have been excellent.
“There’s an element of cohesion with Sione and him combining so well with Huw at Glasgow. You think of the Stormers game. Playing the URC champions, Huw’s all-round game was outstanding.
“We believe he can take that on to the next level which is Test match rugby. At the same time, we know we have an outstanding player and all-round defender in Chris Harris on the bench.”
Too soon for the missing links
“Zander has been training fully, and started again from the middle of last week. We feel this game has come just a few days too early for him. We’re delighted with his progress and he’ll be very much available for next week.
“Hamish did step up well in his first game (for Edinburgh against Sharks), but it’s probably a game too soon for him. But it’s also the form of our other back rowers.”
Crosbie steps up
🏴👊 Luke Crosbie makes his first @SixNationsRugby start as one of seven Edinburgh men selected for Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.
🗞️ Get the full story below.
— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) February 2, 2023
“Luke has been excellent this season and particularly since November. We expect and hope to see what he’s been doing at Edinburgh.
“He plays one way, go forward. In attack that’s really hard at the opposition in carrying and in defence through big hits. He has developed really well in decision making and technical ability around the breakdown. We saw in both games when Edinburgh took on Saracens.
“That’s important that you’ve got seven on your back, that you can be a threat post-tackle. But his effort in contact, his toughness are really good attributes in this fixture.”
The old retainer
“WP is into his mid-30s but still playing well which is a bonus for us. He won his 50th cap in November which was an emotional time for him.
“To see him play so well for 80 minutes against Saracens shows that he’s physically in the best shape he has been in for years.
“Zander has started most of our games over the last two or three years, WP hasn’t had the No 3 jersey on, so it is a great opportunity for him to show what he can do and take the game to England.”
The opposition…
Steve Borthwick has retained a 29-player squad for #ENGvSCO this weekend 🌹@o2 | #WearTheRose pic.twitter.com/bj18p83I1c
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 31, 2023
“We’ve had some very competitive fixtures recently with England. Even the one we lost was a tight game, we were drawing going into the last 15 minutes.
“They have an outstanding group of players. We were trying to predict what their team is going to be but they have so many options we couldn’t get close to the 15.
“Our players are aware of what can go wrong (at Twckenham) when you’re not accurate and you’re not focused.
“Our last visit two years ago was very good. The mindset, the accuracy and the effort. But if you look at the first halves of the two previous contests at Twickenham, England dominated.
“So if we don’t get it right we know we won’t win at the weekend.”
Scotland team
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ben White (London Irish); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), WP Nel (Glasgow Warriors); Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh, captain), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Berghan (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Gloucester).
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