Scotland Club XV named for Ireland test

Scotland Club XV and Heriot’s head coach, Phil Smith, has named his team to face Ireland Club XV at Temple Hill, Cork, on Friday 18 March (kick-off 7.30pm). The team remains relatively unchanged from the side which defeated England Counties at Netherdale last month with Lewis Carmichael from Melrose earning a new cap in the second-row and Jack Turley from Heriot’s moving to the back-row. A former Scotland under-20 squad member, Carmichael is a BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy player with Edinburgh Rugby. Smith could also award a new cap off the replacements bench with Currie’s Alistair Hamilton brought in as a loose head prop replacement. The impressive front-row combination from Ayr, Hawick and Melrose retain their places with George Hunter, Ross Graham and Nick Beavon packing down. Ayr’s Robert McAlpine joins Carmichael in the second-row and Turley takes the blindside flank with Ayr’s Will Bordill at open-side. Following an impressive debut against England Counties, Ayr’s Peter McCallum will control the base of the scrum from number 8. Paddy Boyer from Glasgow Hawks and Hawick’s Lee Armstrong will once again pull the strings through their effective half-back partnership. Melrose’s Fraser Thomson retains the 15 shirt with Boroughmuir’s Jordan Edmunds, who bagged a brace against England, joining Sam Pecquer from Melrose to provide pace on the left and right wings respectively. Captain Ross Curle joins Brendan McGroarty from Glasgow Hawks in the centre to complete the back-line. Smith said: “We have been training well ahead of our fixture against Ireland Club XV, we have a lot of experience in the squad which will be vital come Friday’s game. Ross Curle, as captain, and Fraser Thomson at full-back, have both been involved for a number of seasons and will encourage the squad to secure their second victory to remain unbeaten this year, something which has never been achieved.  Scotland Club XV team to play Ireland Club XV at Temple Hill, Cork, Friday 18 March, (kick-off 7.30pm) 15. Fraser Thomson (Melrose)14. Sam Pecquer (Melrose)13. Ross Curle CAPTAIN (Ayr)12. Brendan McGroarty (Glasgow Hawks) 11. Jordan Edmunds (Boroughmuir)  10. Lee Armstrong (Hawick)9. Paddy Boyer (Glasgow Hawks)  1. George Hunter (Ayr)2. Ross Graham** (Hawick)3. Nick Beavon (Melrose)4. Robert McAlpine (Ayr)5. Lewis Carmichael** (Melrose)6. Jack Turley (Heriot’s) 7. Will Bordill (Ayr)8. Peter McCallum (Ayr)  Replacements 16. Michael Liness (Heriot’s)17. Alistair Hamilton (Heriot’s)18. Jamie Bhatti (Melrose)19. Russell Nimmo (Heriot’s)20. Neil Irvine-Hess (Melrose)21. George Graham (Gala)22. Cameron Ferguson (Heriot’s)23. Harvey Elms (Currie)  ** BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 player