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    Six Nations: Stafford McDowall replaces Sione Tuipulotu for Scotland vs Italy as Duhan van Der Merwe handed match | Rugby Union Information

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    Stafford McDowall has been named to start out at centre for Scotland for his or her Six Nations conflict vs Italy rather than the injured Sione Tuipulotu, whereas wing Duhan van der Merwe has shaken off a knock to start out.

    Tuipulotu, who captained Scotland within the autumn and was in excellent kind, will miss the complete championship resulting from a pectoral chest harm suffered in coaching.

    Report try-scorer Van der Merwe has overcome an ankle drawback and can begin within the again three alongside Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn.

    Elsewhere, skilled forwards Dave Cherry and Jonny Grey will make their first Scotland appearances since 2023 after being chosen to start out.

    Picture:
    Stafford McDowall has been named to start out at inside-centre rather than injured skipper Sione Tuipulotu

    Bordeaux lock Grey, 30, has not featured for the nationwide group because the final time the Azzurri visited Murrayfield on Six Nations responsibility in 2023 after being derailed by a critical knee harm.

    Nevertheless, he’ll now add to his 77 caps after his brother Richie vacated the scene when he moved to Japan final yr whereas Scott Cummings was dominated out of the event by harm.

    Edinburgh hooker Cherry is essentially the most notable inclusion within the XV after being chosen forward of club-mate Ewan Ashman, who appeared to have made the place his personal following George Turner’s transfer to Japan final yr.

    Cherry, 34, has not performed for Scotland since he left the 2023 World Cup squad following a concussion sustained whereas falling on stairs on the group lodge in Good on a time off within the wake of the opening pool-stage fixture in opposition to South Africa, a match through which he got here on as a sub.

    Former Scotland skipper Jamie Ritchie has been chosen to start out within the back-row forward of Jack Dempsey, who is known as on the bench after lately recovering from harm.

    Ben White has held on to his place at scrum-half regardless of beginning solely one in all Toulon’s matches because the autumn sequence, whereas Finn Russell and Rory Darge will co-captain the facet within the absence of Tuipulotu.

    Ashman is known as on the bench, with Glasgow trio George Horne, Tom Jordan and Kyle Rowe the three backs listed among the many subs.

    Scotland’s group to face Italy in Six Nations Spherical 1

    Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell (co-captain), 9 Ben White; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Jonny Grey, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge (co-captain), 8 Matt Fagerson.

    Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Gregor Brown, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 George Horne, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Kyle Rowe

    Six Nations 2025: Fixtures & schedule

    Scotland’s championship schedule:

    • Italy – Murrayfield – Saturday February 1 – 2.15pm (GMT)
    • Eire – Murrayfield – Sunday February 9 – 3pm (GMT)
    • England – Twickenham – Saturday February 22 – 4.45pm (GMT)
    • Wales – Murrayfield – Saturday March 8 – 4.45pm (GMT)
    • France – Stade de France – Saturday March 15 – 8pm (GMT)

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