International
Scotland Ring Changes for Georgian Test
Scotland have made a total of ten changes as they prepare to face Georgia in a World Cup warm-up game
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made 10 changes to his side from the one that faced France last weekend for this weekend’s clash with Georgia.
Centre Sam Johnson returns to the line-up for the first time in these warm-up games and is joined by Rory Hutchinson who is making his first start for the Scots.
Townsend is delighted to welcome Johnson back and is expecting a tough test in Tbilisi on Saturday.
“We’re pleased to welcome Sam back into the side having performed so well for us in the spring, while a number of other players also get the opportunity to build on Saturday’s performance. There were improvements in our back-to-back games against France, in particular in defence, game management and at scrum, as well some elements of our attack. All of these will be put to the test against a very good Georgian side who we expect to be extremely motivated by their passionate home support. We’re expecting a very physical and confrontational encounter, which will be a great test for our squad. In order to rise to this challenge, we must take the game to our hosts right from the start, playing with relentless effort and accuracy,” he said.
In the front-row Stuart McInally captains the side from hooker and will have WP Nel and Allen Dell either side of him, while Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist begin in the engine room.
There is a powerful back-row in place as John Barclay and Hamish Watson start on the flanks either side of Matt Fagerson who opens at No 8.
Greig Laidlaw and Finn Russell are the half-back partnership, with Johnson and Hutchinson outside them in the centre.
Sean Maitland continues on the left-wing, while Darcy Graham comes in on the right for the injured Tommy Seymour and Blair Kinghorn finishes the XV from full-back in what is a first start of the season for the Edinburgh man.
Scotland’s trip to Tbilisi is the first ever visit to Georgia by a tier one country and will be the final chance for many players to try and earn a place on the plane to Japan for the Rugby World Cup with Townsend set to name his squad on September 3rd.
Scotland open up their World Cup campaign with a clash against Ireland on September 22nd where they will hope to make a good start in a bid to progress to the quarter finals of the competition.
Check Out the Full 23-Man Squad Below.
Starting XV:
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 13 caps
14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 5 caps
13. Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – 2 caps
12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 41 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 44 caps
9. Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne) 72 caps
1. Allan Dell (London Irish) – 23 caps
2. Stuart McInally (captain – Edinburgh) – 28 caps
3. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 30 caps
4. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 19 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 35 caps
6. John Barclay (Edinburgh) – 73 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) – 26 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps
Replacements:
16. Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
17. Jamie Bhatti (Edinburgh) – 14 caps
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps
19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
20. Josh Strauss (Blue Bulls) – 23 caps
21. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps
22. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 12 caps
23. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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