22 Scotland players start 1872 Cup derby
22 Dec 2017Some 22 Scotland players have been selected to start this tomorrow's 1872 Cup derby match between Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors at BT Murrayfield Stadium (kick-off 5.10pm).
Edinburgh Rugby selection news
After turning out at stand off against Krasny Yar last weekend, Blair Kinghorn reverts to his customary position of full-back. The 20-year-old is joined in the back three by wings Dougie Fife and Duhan van der Merwe.
In the midfield, Phil Burleigh returns to first XV action and is partnered by James Johnstone, who features in his first 1872 Cup derby. At half-back, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne links up with Jaco van der Walt, who gets the nod after missing last weekend’s European Challenge Cup encounter due to illness.
An all Scotland front-row sees hooker Stuart McInally pack down alongside Rory Sutherland and Simon Berghan, whilst Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist make up a second-row which features 187 Edinburgh appearances. Hamish Watson and Cornell du Preez link up with Fijian internationalist Viliame Mata in the back-row.
Edinburgh Rugby team: 15. Blair Kinghorn; 14. Dougie Fife, 13. James Johnstone, 12. Phil Bureligh, 11. Duhan van der Merwe; 10. Jaco van der Walt, 9. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 1. Rory Sutherland, 2. Stuart McInally CAPTAIN, 3. Simon Berghan, 4. Ben Toolis, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Viliame Mata, 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Cornell du Preez. Replacements: 16. Neil Cochrane; 17. Murray McCallum; 18. Matt Shields; 19. Fraser McKenzie; 20. Jamie Ritchie; 21. Nathan Fowles; 22. Chris Dean; 23. Darcy Graham.
Glasgow Warriors selection news
Glasgow come into the game unbeaten in the Guinness PRO14 and 23-year-old Gray will lead the team out in the Capital, combing with Scott Cummings in the second-row.
Behind them Rob Harley returns from injury to start on the blindside flank. Matt Smith and Samu Vunisa are the other starting loose forwards.
In Bhatti, Brown and Fagerson it is an unchanged front-row. The half-backs too remain the same, Peter Horne starting outside of Ali Price.
Alex Dunbar and Huw Jones are the midfielders, re-creating their Scotland partnership, and behind them Lee Jones, Tommy Seymour and Ruaridh Jackson complete the starting XV.
On the bench Oli Kebble returns from injury to be involved for the first time since September and Niko Matawalu, another player to have signed a new contract this week, will cover the back-three.
Elsewhere, Brian Alainu’uese has successfully undergone surgery having aggravated an ongoing knee injury in training this week. The second-row is expected to be out for up to six weeks. Ryan Wilson will also be out for up to six weeks with an ankle injury sustained last weekend against Montpellier.
Glasgow Warriors team: 15. Ruaridh Jackson; 14. Tommy Seymour, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Alex Dunbar, 11. Lee Jones; 10. Peter Horne (128), 9. Ali Price; 1. Jamie Bhatti, 2. Fraser Brown (69), 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Scott Cummings, 5. Jonny Gray (79) CAPTAIN, 6. Robert Harley, 7. Matt Smith, 8. Samu Vunisa. Replacements: 16. Pat MacArthur, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Siua Halanukonuka, 19. Kiran McDonald, 20. Chris Fusaro, 21. Henry Pyrgos, 22. Finn Russell, 23. Niko Matawalu.
