Five pack changes as Scotland U20 name team for England clash

All five changes come in the pack as Freddy Douglas makes his return from injury. Douglas won a senior Scotland cap against Portugal in the Autumn Nations Series last year, and comes in for his first appearance of the U20 Six Nations campaign.

There are two changes in the front row as Jake Shearer comes in at loosehead prop and Seb Stephen starts at hooker. They are joined by Ollie Blyth-Lafferty who keeps the tighthead prop berth.

Dan Halkon is joined by Bart Godsell, who makes his first start of the tournament, in the second row. Douglas starts at openside flanker and is joined in the back row by Oliver Duncan, the final change to the side, at blindside flanker and Reuben Logan at number 8.

In an unchanged back line, the half-backs are again made up of scrum-half Noah Cowan and stand-off Matthew Urwin. The longstanding centre partnership of Kerr Yule at inside and captain Johnny Ventisei at outside continues.

Fergus Watson starts on the left wing, and Nairn Moncrieff, who came in as a late change to the starting team against Ireland two weeks ago, is again on the opposite side. The team is completed by Jack Brown at full-back.

On the bench, props Oliver McKenna and Jamie Stewart, alongside hooker Joe Roberts, are primed to come on in the front row. Lock Charlie Moss and back-row Billy Allen complete the forward replacements.

With Hector Patterson ruled out through injury, scrum-half Hamish MacArthur joins the backs replacements, alongside stand-off/full-back Ross Wolfenden and centre Campbell Waugh who both came off the bench against Ireland.

Murray said: “England have made a good start to the tournament and are a strong side, so we’ll need to up our performance levels from the first two games which we know this group can do.

“It’s excellent to welcome back Freddy Douglas and I’m sure the experience that he brings from playing for his club and country at senior level will be really valuable for the rest of the squad.

“We’re still looking for that 80-minute performance. We have competed in parts our games so far but as we build towards our return to the U20 Championship in summer, it’s important that we keep improving and competing for full matches.”

Scotland U20 team to play England U20 on Friday at Kingston Park (kick off 7.15pm)

15. Jack Brown – Edinburgh Rugby
14. Nairn Moncrieff – Edinburgh Rugby
13. Johnny Ventisei – Captain – Glasgow Warriors
12. Kerr Yule – Glasgow Warriors
11. Fergus Watson – Glasgow Warriors

10. Matthew Urwin – Glasgow Warriors
9. Noah Cowan – Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders

1. Jake Shearer – Glasgow Warriors
2. Seb Stephen – Edinburgh Academical FC
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty – Edinburgh Rugby
4. Bart Godsell – Loughborough University
5. Dan Halkon – Glasgow Warriors
6. Oliver Duncan – Edinburgh Rugby
7. Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby
8. Reuben Logan – Northampton Saints

Replacements

16. Joe Roberts – Glasgow Warriors
17. Oliver McKenna – Glasgow Warriors
18. Jamie Stewart – Edinburgh Rugby
19. Charlie Moss – Montpellier
20. Billy Allen – Dungannon RFC
21. Hamish MacArthur – Edinburgh Rugby
22. Campbell Waugh – Glasgow Hawks
23. Ross Wolfenden – Edinburgh Rugby