Wright urges his players to learn from French lesson

Scotland under-20 head coach Peter Wright has challenged his players to show they have learned lessons from the defeat to France last weekend as they seek a home Six Nations Championship win against Wales.

Five days ago in Caen, the Scots showed tantalising glimpses of their attacking potential, but didn't enjoy enough sustained possession to establish a real foothold in the match.

Wright has identified the contact area as key to tomorrow's game at Bridgehaugh, Stirling, which kicks off at 7.30pm with free admission.

If the young Scots impose themselves in collisions and establish a regular supply of quick ball, Wright feels the quality they possess in the backs will tell.

He said: "We've been doing a lot of work on contact and also the set-piece, because we feel that if we establish the right sort of platform, we've got players there behind the scrum who can really hurt other teams.

"France were very physical and got on top of us so it's vital that we don't give Wales the same sort of advantage in Stirling. We know they have a big front five and back row, plus centres who like to take the ball on, so we'll need to be prepared for that.

"Keeping hold of the ball is the other main task for us this weekend.

"We were on the back foot for too long in the game, and it's vital that we avoid that happening again."

Wright has opted for "more bulk" in the back row, Alex Spence of Heriot's coming in at blindside flanker with Bath's James Tyas moving to No 8.

The front five are retained but, behind the scrum, Heriot's full-back Glen Bryce makes his first Scotland under-20 start at the home of his former club side, Stirling County, with Stuart Hogg moving to outside centre. Inside him will be Mark Bennett, who started at 13 in Caen and scored a try.

Last week's inside centre, Harry Leonard, will start at stand-off against with Craig Jackson of Melrose dropping to the bench.

After last week's emotional pre-game trip to Sword Beach, scene of major Scottish involvement in the D-Day landings, the squad will today visit the Wallace Monument, where those players making their debuts will be presented with their match jersey.

Scotland Under 20s: (v Wales at Bridgehaugh tomorrow, kick-off 7.30pm) G Bryce (Heriot's), M Doneghan (Glasgow Warriors/Stirling County), S Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/Hawick), M Bennett (Glasgow Warriors/Ayr), K Gossman (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks), H Leonard (Boroughmuir), J Stevenson (Westcombe Park), R Hislop (Edinburgh/Boroughmuir), R Ferguson (Melrose), G Hunter (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks, CAPTAIN), M Todd (Nottingham), R McAlpine (West of Scotland), A Spence (Heriot's), H Watson (Leicester Tigers), J Tyas (Bath). Substitutes: D Cherry (Team Northumbria), C Phillips (Edinburgh/Stewart's Melville), A Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks), M Eadie (Filton College), S Kennedy (Stirling County), C Jackson (Melrose), T Steven (Glasgow Hawks).