Findlay to Make Scotland U20 Debut

Exeter Chiefs' Jed Findlay will make his Scotland U20 debut as he is named to start against Australia U20 this weekend.

Six changes to the team have been made by Head Coach Kenny Murray for Scotland U20 Men's second World Rugby U20 Championship pool stage match against Australia at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella on Sunday (kick off 2.30pm BST/3.30pm local) - live on RugbyPassTV.

Freddy Douglas recovers from injury to come in at openside flanker, and will co-captain the side with Johnny Ventisei.

Cameron van Wyk comes in on the right wing, and in doing so will earn a first start.

The other change in the backs sees try scorer off the bench in the loss to England Hector Patterson come in to start at scrum-half.

The final two changes are in the forwards, where Oliver McKenna and Dylan Cockburn come in at loosehead prop and lock.

McKenna is joined by Joe Roberts at hooker and tighthead prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty who both continue in the front row.

Cockburn and Dan Halkon make up the second row. Oliver Duncan moves across to blindside flanker, Douglas comes in at openside and number 8 Reuben Logan completes the back row selections.

In the backs, scrum-half Patterson will combine with stand-off Matthew Urwin to make the half-backs.

Kerr Yule and Johnny Ventisei are once again selected in the centres at inside and outside respectively. Fergus Watson is selected on the left wing with van Wyk on the right, and the team is completed by Findlay at full-back.

A 5-3 split on the bench sees Seb Stephen, Ben White and Jamie Stewart primed to come in the front row, with Charlie Moss and Mark Fyffe the other replacement forwards. Backs Noah Cowan, Isaac Coates and Jack Hocking are the final substitutes.

Murray said: “We’ve reviewed the England game and we know we gave them too many soft tries, which you can’t do at this level.

“The players have recovered well, and the energy has been good this week.

“It’s great that we’ve got enough depth in the squad to rotate players in a competition with quick turnarounds like this, but we’ve also got some continuity in a few areas too which is important.

“We know Australia have a lot of attacking threats, and we’ll need to be at our best for the full game on Friday.”

Scotland U20:

15. Jed Findlay (Exeter Chiefs)

14. Cameron van Wyk (Ayr RFC)

13. Johnny Ventisei – Co-captain (Glasgow Warriors)

12. Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors)

11. Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors)

10. Matthew Urwin (Glasgow Warriors)

9. Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby)

1. Oliver McKenna (Glasgow Warriors)

2. Joe Roberts (Glasgow Warriors)

3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby)

4. Dylan Cockburn (Melrose RFC)

5. Dan Halkon (Glasgow Warriors)

6. Oliver Duncan (Edinburgh Rugby)

7. Freddy Douglas – Co-captain (Edinburgh Rugby)

8. Reuben Logan (Northampton Saints)

Replacements

16. Seb Stephen (Edinburgh Academical FC/Glasgow Warriors)

17. Ben White (Melrose RFC/Edinburgh Rugby)

18. Jamie Stewart (Edinburgh Rugby)

19. Charlie Moss (Montpellier)

20. Oliver Finlayson-Russell (University of St Andrews)

21. Noah Cowan (Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders)

22. Isaac Coates (Edinburgh Rugby)

23. Jack Hocking (Edinburgh Rugby)