'Ready for challenge': Scotland Under-20s set for crucial World Rugby Trophy clash against Uruguay

No 8 Jonny Morris believes the Scotland under-20 side have built nicely over the last two games at the World Rugby Trophy, but knows they will have to “step up” with an even better showing against Uruguay in Kenya on Tuesday.

Jonny Morris says Scotland have been developing their maul to good affect.

The young Scots are top of Pool A with 10 points from 10, while the South Americans are second with nine points. As a result, whoever wins this match in the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi will progress to Sunday’s final against the Pool B victors. The winners of that final will then progress to next year’s World Rugby Championship, so this is a big week for Scotland’s best up-and-coming players.

“We are ready for this challenge,” 19-year-old Morris, who is part of the Glasgow Warriors Academy, said. “I think as a pack we have been really pleased with how our set piece has gone. Coming into the tournament we knew that it was going to be a strong point for us and we have been really working at it for the last few months. We have really developed our maul, it has gone well, but we can’t rest on our laurels. Teams will know it is going well for us and we’ll use the maul, so we have to build on it each game. I think each game has been a step up from the last one so hopefully we can build into Uruguay and bring the maul and the scrum and use those things as a big threat. As I say, we need to step up.”

Before Scotland headed to Africa a lot was made of the different conditions they would face there and Morris added: “The thing that we have noticed the most is the altitude, it was a bit of a shock. But we were in the altitude tent at the University of the West of Scotland before we came here and it was really good preparation, so I think we have coped well and we can push on now.”

The match kicks off at 2pm UK time and will be streamed live via Rugby Africa and the Kenya Rugby Union.

Scotland squad: Dan King; Logan Jarvie, Ben Salmon, Findlay Thomson, Finn Douglas; Andrew McLean, Ben Afshar (co-captain); Craig Davidson, Corey Tait, Oliver Minnis, Eddie Erskine, Ruaraidh Hart, Liam McConnell (co-captain), Jonny Smith, Jonny Morris. Subs: Finn Duraj, Max Surry, Callum Norrie, Jake Parkinson, Sam Derrick, Finlay Burgess, Kerr Johnston, Matt Reid.