Fit-again Farndale back for Scots

Farndale missed all of Scotland’s Six Nations under-20 championship matches this year but it was always hoped that the 19 year-old would recover in time for this tournament – and intensive work at Edinburgh Rugby has made it possible. Eligible to play a further year at this age level, Farndale appeared in the South Africa-staged JWC last year and ended the tournament as top try scorer with six touchdowns.

He is part of a strong back division among whom the Glasgow Warriors centre Mark Bennett, playing in his third Junior World Championship, will be a key player. At half back Tommy Allan, now at Perpignan, continues at stand-off and is partnered at scrum-half by Leicester Tigers’ Scott Steele, who was capped at this level last season.

In the pack, skipper Jonny Gray partners Perpignan’s Adam Sinclair in a now familiar second row combination while in the back row Scotland under-20 coach Sean Lineen has opted for the London Scottish and former North Berwick High School loose forward Tommy Spinks at blindside and the ball-winning skills of Sale’s Will Bordill alongside the experienced Scotland sevens cap, Adam Ashe.

Scotland U20s: Ruairidh Young (Edinburgh Accies); Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Auld (Gala), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors); Tommy Allan (Perpignan), Scott Steele (Leicester Tigers); Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County), Russell Anderson (Gala), Darcy Rae (Ayr), Adam Sinclair (Perpignan), Jonny Gray (C) (Glasgow Warriors), Tommy Spinks (London Scottish), Will Bordill (Sale Sharks), Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors). Subs: Reyner Kennedy (Stirling County), Robbie Wilson (Boroughmuir), Phil Cringle (Edinburgh Rugby), Ruairidh Leishman (Stirling County), Eoghan Masterson (Leinster), Ali Price (Bedford Blues), Robbie Fergusson (Ayr), Damien Hoyland (Boroughmuir)