Scotland U20 team named for Italy opener

The fixture marks a return to competitive action for Scotland U20 for the first time since their World Rugby U20 Trophy win in summer, earning them a spot in the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.

Tickets for the game are on sale online up until kick-off.

The front row consists of Oliver McKenna at loosehead, with fellow prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty at tighthead, and Joe Roberts at hooker.

Dan Halkon is joined by Charlie Moss in the second row, while blindside flanker Christian Lindsay, openside Billy Allen and number 8 Reuben Logan make up the back row.

The half-backs are made up of scrum-half Noah Cowan and stand-off Matthew Urwin. Johnny Ventisei, who captains the side, starts at inside centre and is joined outside by Kerr Yule.

Fergus Watson starts on the left wing, Guy Rogers is on the opposite side. The team is completed by Jack Brown at full-back.

On the bench, hooker Seb Stephen and props Jake Shearer and Ryan Whitefield are primed to come on in the front row. Lock Bart Godsell and back-row Oliver Duncan complete the forward replacements.

The backs replacements are scrum-half Hector Patterson, stand-off/full-back Ross Wolfenden and back-three Nairn Moncrieff.

Murray said: “The group are really excited to get the Six Nations underway. We’ve been in camp for a while now so it’s great to have a game to look forward to this weekend.

“The group have trained a lot together in the past few weeks, and we’re really happy with how they’ve come on. It will be great to see them in the competitive environment of an U20 Six Nations game.

“We want to put in a performance that we can be proud of, and this is the starting point for us as we build towards the U20 Championship in the summer, so it’s important that we start as we mean to go on and play like we know this squad can.”

Get your tickets now. 

Scotland U20 team to play Italy U20 on Friday at Hive Stadium (kick off 7.15pm) – live on BBC iPlayer

15. Jack Brown – Edinburgh Rugby
14. Guy Rogers – University of Surrey/Harlequins
13. Johnny Ventisei – Captain – Glasgow Warriors
12. Kerr Yule – Glasgow Warriors
11. Fergus Watson – Glasgow Warriors

10. Matthew Urwin – Glasgow Warriors
9. Noah Cowan – Brunel University/Ealing Trailfinders

1. Oliver McKenna – Glasgow Warriors
2. Joe Roberts – Glasgow Warriors
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty – Edinburgh Rugby
4. Charlie Moss – Montpellier
5. Dan Halkon – Glasgow Warriors
6. Christian Lindsay – Loretto School/Edinburgh Rugby
7. Billy Allen – Dungannon RFC
8. Reuben Logan – Northampton Saints

Replacements

16. Seb Stephen – Edinburgh Academical FC
17. Jake Shearer – Glasgow Warriors
18. Ryan Whitefield – Biggar RFC
19. Bart Godsell – Loughborough University
20. Oliver Duncan – Edinburgh Rugby
21. Hector Patterson – Edinburgh Rugby
22. Ross Wolfenden – Edinburgh Rugby
23. Nairn Moncrieff – Edinburgh Rugby