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Rory Sutherland will make his first Six Nations start in three years after being selected ahead of Pierre Schoeman at loosehead for Scotland in Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with Ireland at Murrayfield.
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The 32-year-old Glasgow forward, who has 38 caps to his name, comes in for only his seventh international start since representing the British and Irish Lions in the summer tour of 2021. It will be Sutherland’s first start in the Six Nations since the victory at home to England in 2022.
Schoeman, Scotland’s first-choice loosehead since his debut in 2021, is on the bench in one of three changes to the side that started last weekend’s 31-19 win at home to Italy.
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The other two additions are versatile Glasgow back Tom Jordan, who replaces club-mate Stafford McDowall at centre, and Jack Dempsey, who starts at number eight with Jamie Ritchie – who agreed a deal this week to join Perpignan from Edinburgh – dropping to the bench.
Edinburgh lock Sam Skinner, added to the squad this week after recovering from injury, is named among the subs alongside fellow forwards Ewan Ashman, Schoeman, Will Hurd, Gregor Brown and Ritchie in a 6-2 split – with McDowall and scrum-half Jamie Dobie the two backs on the bench.
The Scots are aiming to stop a 10-game losing streak against the Irish, stretching back to February 2017.
SCOTLAND TEAM:
15. Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors
12. Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby
10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby CO-CAPTAIN
9. Ben White – Toulon
1. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors
2. Dave Cherry – Edinburgh Rugby
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors
4. Jonny Gray – Bordeaux Bègles
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby
6. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors CO-CAPTAIN
8. Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors
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REPLACEMENTS:
16. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby
17. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby
18. Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers
19. Sam Skinner – Edinburgh Rugby
20. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors
21. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby
22. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors
23. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors
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He is not really dropped rather he will be used as impact for second half. A 'Release the Beast' job.
That said this looks like Townsend reacting to what Ireland will bring: which is fair enough if necessary.
Agreed, i hate the clickbaity x player dropped when they have merely moved from starter to finisher. Especially props who a guarenteed to be introduced at some point