Pierre Schoeman and Scott Cummings will both bring up their 50th Scotland caps on Saturday as Gregor Townsend names an experienced side for the opening match of the inaugural Nations Championship against Argentina in Córdoba. The new format sees a bit of globe trotting with “away” fixtures against South Africa and Fiji also in July – albeit the Fiji test will be in Edinburgh.
The two British & Irish Lions are among the first names on the teamsheet and feel well deserved. Schoeman has become a fixture in the front row since making his debut in 2021, while Cummings continues his return to full fitness after injury disrupted much of his Lions tour.
There are few surprises in the pack. Schoeman starts alongside Ewan Ashman and Elliot Millar Mills, with Cummings partnering the long lost Jonny Gray in the second row. Is it an indictment of Scotland’s second row stocks, or saving some heft for the Springboks the weekend after? Behind them, Townsend sticks with the back row that finished the Six Nations, as Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge flank Jack Dempsey who will be off to Japan after the summer.
The half-back pairing sees Ben White continue at scrum-half, while Tom Jordan gets an opportunity at fly-half. Jordan’s performances have grown steadily in a Scotland shirt and another strong showing against a tough side would do his claims no harm in the absence of Finn Russell, who is carrying a calf injury.
Sione Tuipulotu captains the side from inside centre, with Rory Hutchinson outside him following his Premiership-winning campaign with Northampton. Out wide, it is an all-Glasgow Warriors affair as Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie start on the wings, with Kyle Rowe completing the back three at full-back.
Glasgow hooker Gregor Hiddleston is in line for his Scotland debut after breaking into the matchday 23 for the first time. It marks another step in what has been a rapid rise over the past 12 months and suggests Townsend is beginning to look beyond the established options at hooker to build out depth in a position where inconsistency seems to happen a lot.
Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson and Alex Samuel provide experienced cover up front, while Gregor Brown and George Horne return after injury. Fergus Burke is also among the replacements, a year on from making his first Scotland start on last summer’s tour, with recent Barbarians and GB 7s call-up Darcy Graham completing the squad.
Scotland have often found Argentina difficult opponents away from home and will want to make amends for the most recent capitulation when they met. It’s an odd mix that feels more “summer tour development” than “rankings at stake” (so who knows how France will treat the event).
With two Lions reaching personal milestones and a debut potentially waiting for Hiddleston, it feels like a side selected to make a fast start to a competition Scotland will be keen to make their mark on.
Scotland: Kyle Rowe, Kyle Steyn, Rory Hutchinson, Sione Tuipulotu (capt), Jamie Dobie, Tom Jordan, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, Elliot Millar Mills, Jonny Gray, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson, Alex Samuel, Gregor Brown, George Horne, Fergus Burke, Darcy Graham.
1 response
Good to see Kyle Rowe getting picked. Hopefully Dobie goes well on the wing. Having Fergus Burke and Tom Jordan fighting to backup/replace Finn is a good place to be.
In the forwards, surprised to see J Gray back. How’s his end of season been? If he’s the J Gray of years gone by that would be awesome for the squad. Starting pack plus bench looks good.
I can’t work out what a good summer looks like this year. Argentina away is a tough game. SA away is almost impossible, Fiji, even at Murrayfield, won’t be easy.
Is it hope for 2/3 but happy with 1/3?
And it doesn’t get any easier in November!