Scotland U20s summon Super6 starlets for tough opener against Ireland

Back-row forward Rory Darge will captain Scotland Under-20s in the opening match of their U20 Six Nations campaign Ireland in Cork tomorrow night.
By GRAHAM BEAN
Published 29th Jan 2020, 19:32 BST
Rory Darge will captain Scotland U20 in Cork. Picture: SNSRory Darge will captain Scotland U20 in Cork. Picture: SNS
Rory Darge will captain Scotland U20 in Cork. Picture: SNS

It’s a tough start for the young Scots against last season’s U20 grand slam champions and coach Sean Lineen is relying heavily on players from the FOSROC Super6 for the match at Independent Park.

Seventeen of the match-day 23 play in the new semi-pro competition, including Darge, the Southern Knights No 8.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Super6 league leaders Watsonians provide four of the starting XV, with Matthew Currie picked at outside centre, Roan Frostwick at scrum-half, Kieran Watt at lock and Connor Boyle at openside flanker. Clubmate Rory Jackson is among the subs.

Lineen said: “It’s been a pretty tough selection, there’s a lot of guys who were here last year and they obviously have a point to prove. The team’s come together really well, they’re pretty tight and working really hard on different parts of their game.

“We know we will need to get our performance right against a pretty physical and clever Irish outfit who won this fixture last year away from home, so we know what type of cauldron we’re going into.”

The Scots enjoyed a memorable win over Wales in last season’s U20 Six Nations but lost their other four games.

Scotland U20 (v Ireland U20, Friday, Independent Park, Cork, 7:30pm)

15. Ollie Smith (Ayrshire Bulls)

14. Jacob Henry (Southern Knights)

13. Matthew Currie (Watsonians Rugby)

12. Robbie McCallum (Boroughmuir Bears)

11. Jack Blain (Heriot’s Rugby)

10. Nathan Chamberlain (Hartpury College/Bristol Bears)

9. Roan Frostwick (Watsonians Rugby)

1. Alex Maxwell (Stourbridge)

2. Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks)

3. Dan Gamble (Heriot’s Rugby)

4. Kieran Watt (Watsonians Rugby)

5. Cameron Henderson (Stirling County)

6. Jack Hill (Durham University)

7. Connor Boyle (Watsonians Rugby)

8. Rory Darge (capt; Southern Knights)

Substitutes

16. Rory Jackson (Watsonians Rugby)

17. Mak Wilson (Southern Knights)

18. Thomas Lambert (Sydney University)

19. Jamie Campbell (Biggar)

20. Gregor Brown (Boroughmuir Bears)

21. Kyle McGhie (Boroughmuir Bears)

22. Cameron Scott (Boroughmuir Bears)

23. Rufus McLean (Boroughmuir Bears)

Related topics:Ireland