New names in Scotland under-20 team for Italian job

Head Coach John Dalziel today named four changes – three personnel and one positional – to the starting Scotland under-20 side to face Italy this Friday at Stadio Plebiscito, Padova (kick-off 7.10pm local).Hooker Lewis Anderson and back-row Scott Burnside will make their first start for the side; Anderson replacing the injured Jake Kerr, and Burnside slotting in at flanker, with Andrew Davidson returning to lock in place of Callum Hunter-Hill.Wing Ben Robbins has also been handed his first start since last year’s Six Nations Championship game against Ireland, with Robbie Nairn taking up a spot on the bench.Joining Robbins in the back-three will be Ruairi Howarth and Darcy Graham, who start at full-back and left wing respectively.Tom Galbraith continues in the centre with his Melrose team-mate George Taylor, as Rory Hutchinson and Hugh Fraser form the half-back partnership.In the front-row, Murray McCallum – who scored against England and Wales in this campaign – and Callum Sheldon pack down alongside hooker Anderson, with captain Scott Cummings alongside Davidson in the boiler-room. Ally Miller wears the number eight shirt with Matt Smith – who has touched down twice in the Championship – starting at openside, and Burnside completing the back-row trio.Hawick hooker Fraser Renwick comes into the matchday 23, and is set to make his under-20 debut if he is called upon from the bench. Dalziel said:”The players had a week to recover, both physically and mentally, following a tough game away to Wales, and have been extremely focussed on the next task since regrouping earlier this week. “There’s a couple of rotations for this week’s match, which will bring an energy to the team and add to the steady core of players who are performing well as individuals and as a group. “We know facing Italy away is going to be a tough challenge, but we can take confidence from our previous performances, and can hopefully continue to build as we pass the half-way stage in the campaign.”Scotland under-20 team to play Italy under-20 in the Six Nations Championship at Stadio Plebiscito, Padova (kick-off 7.10pm local)15 Ruairi Howarth (Gala)** 14 Ben Robbins (Currie)**13 George Taylor (Melrose)**12 Tom Galbraith (Melrose)**11 Darcy Graham (Hawick)* 10 Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)9 Hugh Fraser (Heriot’s)** 1 Murray McCallum (Heriot’s)**2 Lewis Anderson (Ayr)3 Callum Sheldon (Leeds Beckett University)4 Andrew Davidson (Glasgow Hawks)**5 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Hawks)**6 Scott Burnside (Boroughmuir)*7 Matt Smith (Glasgow Hawks)**8 Ally Miller (Melrose)** Substitutes?16 Fraser Renwick (Hawick)*17 George Thornton (Bishop Burton College)18 Adam Nicol (Stirling County)19 Callum Hunter-Hill (Stirling County)**20 Stephen Ainslie (Currie)*21 Charlie Shiel (Currie)*22 Chris Lines (Boroughmuir)23 Robbie Nairn (Harlequins) *BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 2 Player**BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 Player Players unavailable due to pro-team commitments:Blair Kinghorn, Jamie Ritchie (both Edinburgh Rugby) and Adam Hastings (Bath Rugby).