Tough test for juniors

SCOTLAND conclude their ten match international season today at the Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná, where they face Ireland in the final round of the IRB Under-20 World Championship to decide the ninth and tenth positions.

The Scottish camp will hope for a better result than the heavy defeat 44-15 at Dubarry Park in Athlone last March inflicted by the Irish on their way to the Six Nations Under-20 title.

Scotland coach Eamon John has been forced to make changes behind the scrum to the side that defeated Tonga in the crucial semi-final match.

Currie winger Doug Fife is out with an injury and is replaced by Callum MacBurnie. On the other wing, Michael Tait replaces Oliver Grove. The other change on the bench is the selection of the former Bell-Baxter High School flanker Michael Fedo.

Ireland are without their inspirational captain Rhys Ruddock, who was called up to the senior Ireland squad in New Zealand. But that is balanced by the absence for Scotland of Alex Blair, who is with the A squad.

Scotland Under-20:

T Brown (Edinburgh Accies); C MacBurnie (Moseley), J Johnstone (Currie), A Dunbar (Glasgow), M Tait (Newcastle Falcons); D Weir (Glasgow), A Black (Leeds Carnegie); A Kent (London Scottish), A Walker (Currie), N Little (Hawick), D Denton (Edinburgh Accies), G Gilchrist (Stirling County), R Harley (West of Scotland), M Maltman (Heriot's), S McInally (Watsonians, capt). Substitutes: A Fedorciow (Bath), G Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), M Fedo (Watsonians), C Stidston-Nott (London Scottish), R Weir (Loughborough Students), M Scott (Currie), O Grove (Worcester Warriors)