McDowall and Crosbie named co-captains for tour opener
Matt Currie, Arron Reed, Gus Warr, Max Williamson and Gregor Brown have all been named in the starting line-up for Scotland in their tour-opening fixture against Canada. In total 10 players could make their Scotland bows, with a “break glass in case of emergency” 5/3 split on the bench that includes Kyle Steyn, Matt Fagerson and Ben Healy – but no scrum half cover.
URC winner Jamie Dobie presumably supplies that from his starting position on the wing but Sale’s Gus Warr is rewarded for impressive club form with the starting spot. Warr qualifies for Scotland through his Mum, who hails from Strathaven.
Centre Currie has previous international experience of playing in the Americas after featuring in Scotland A’s win over Chile in Santiago two years ago and will partner Glasgow’s Stafford McDowall who gets a chance to step out of the shadow of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones who dominated both recent Scotland pairings and the closing stages of the victorious Warriors URC campaign.
Alongside McDowall the other co-captain is Edinburgh’s Luke Crosbie, who led Scotland A against Chile in 2022. Fellow Gunner Harry Paterson will make his second Scotland appearance at full-back after being named as a late starter in the Guinness Six Nations this year against France.
Sharks’ hooker Dylan Richardson returns to Scotland duty at hooker having earned his first cap in the back row against Japan at Murrayfield in 2021. He is joined in the front row by the experienced Rory Sutherland, and Premiership winning Elliot Millar Mills. Sutherland and Ewan Johnson on the bench could well be the first time Scotland have selected two players from French club Oyonnax in the match day squad.
On the bench, Smith, Nathan McBeth, Will Hurd, Ewan Johnson and (late call up to the squad) GB Sevens and Edinburgh winger Ross McCann will all be aiming for their debuts.
Scotland: Harry Paterson, Jamie Dobie, Matt Currie, Stafford McDowall, Arron Reed, Ross Thompson, Gus Warr; Rory Sutherland, Dylan Richardson, Elliot Millar Mills, Max Williamson, Glen Young, Gregor Brown, Luke Crosbie, Josh Bayliss.
Replacements: Robbie Smith, Nathan McBeth, Will Hurd, Ewan Johnson, Matt Fagerson, Ben Healy, Kyle Steyn, Ross McCann
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