Scotland under-20 team named for Championship opener

Scotland under-20 will open their World Rugby Under-20 Championship campaign tomorrow when they face New Zealand at Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma (kick-off 7.30pm GMT).Two of the players in the starting XV – prop Callum Sheldon and wing Robbie Nairn – will debut at under-20 international level. If stand-off Blair Kinghorn and wing Richard Galloway are to enter the fray from the bench, they will also make their first international appearance at under-20 level.Scotland under-20 head coach, Sean Lineen, said:”We’re looking forward to getting our campaign underway with a huge challenge tomorrow night.”We know how physical New Zealand will be and, as an opening game, it can’t get much tougher.”To be the best, you’ve got to play the best, and New Zealand are always there or there about.  “This tournament is a huge stage for all involved, so we need to rise to the occasion, but make sure we don’t get caught up in the hype and stick to our structures.”Open-side flanker Jamie Ritchie will lead the team and is joined in the back-row by Lewis Wynne and Ally Miller, with Scott Cummings and Lewis Carmichael forming the lock duo for the first time since the Six Nations.Sheldon will be joined in the front-row by Dan Elkington and Sam James, to complete the starting pack.Ben Vellacott and Rory Hutchinson will start at nine and ten respectively, with Tom Galbraith and Archie Russell coming together as the centre partnership.Alec Coombes and Ruairi Howarth, who started in all five of Scotland under-20’s Six Nations games this year, will play alongside Nairn in the back-three.Scotland team to play New Zealand in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship at Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma (kick-off 7.30pm GMT) – live on BT Sport 2.15. Ruairi Howarth (Edinburgh Rugby/Gala)14. Robbie Nairn (George Watson’s College/Currie)* 13. Archie Russell (Stirling County) 12. Tom Galbraith (Melrose) 11. Alec Coombes (London Scottish)10. Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) 9. Ben Vellacott (Gloucester/Hartpury College)1. Dan Elkington (Watsonians) 2. Sam James (Wasps) 3. Callum Sheldon (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians) 4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks) 5. Lewis Carmichael (Melrose)* 6. Lewis Wynne (Stirling County) 7. Jamie Ritchie CAPTAIN (Edinburgh Rugby) 8. Ally Miller (Edinburgh Rugby/Watsonians)Replacements16. Ross Graham (Hawick) 17. Murray McCallum (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby) 18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors/Glasgow Hawks) 19. Neil Irvine-Hess (Melrose) 20. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby/Boroughmuir) 21. George Horne (Glasgow Hawks) 22. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Academy/Edinburgh Academicals)* 23. Richard Galloway (University of Birmingham)*sportscotland institute of sport supported player 2014/15