Three changes for deciding leg of Dalriada Cup

5 Feb 2020

Scott Wight has named the Scotland Club XV squad which will travel to Ireland to contest the second leg of the Dalriada Cup at Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin on Friday evening (5:45pm kick-off)

Wight has made a trio of changes to the starting team who scored three tries against their Irish counterparts last Friday night at Netherdale.

In the front row, Glasgow Hawk’s prop Gary Strain is promoted from the bench to pack down alongside the experienced Shawn Muir (Hawick) and skipper Fergus Scott (Currie Chieftains).

The second-row pairing of Mike Vernel (Currie Chieftains) and Gregor Law (Jed-Forest) retain their starting positions whilst in the back-row there is one change as Edinburgh Accies Jamie Sole misses out due to concussion.

Aberdeen Grammar’s Nathaniel Coe replaces Sole on the blindside flank, with Wallace Nelson (Currie Chieftains) selected at openside and Ewan MacDougall (Selkirk) starting at No 8.

Currie’s Gregor Christie and Selkirk’s Aaron McColm retain their half-back partnership and start at scrum-half and stand-off respectively.

Marr’s Conor Bickerstaff moves across to inside centre to make way for Hawick’s Andrew Mitchell who earns a starting berth in the number 13 jersey.

The back three remain unchanged with Jed-Forest’s Callum Young on one wing, last week’s double try scorer from Scott Bickerstaff (Marr) on the other and GHA’s Grant Mollison at full-back.

On his selection Head Coach Wight said: “The squad played well last week, as result we’ve made very few changes to the starting line-up. It’s a strong and determined squad that we’ve backed to travel to Ireland for the second leg of the Dalriada Cup.

“Although we had some good opportunities and periods of momentum last Friday, we’ll look to retain the ball for longer periods and be more clinical with our possession to execute the game plan we want to play”

Scotland Club XV team to face Ireland Club XV on Friday at Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin

(kick-off 5:45pm)

15. Grant Mollison (GHA)

14. Scott Bickerstaff (Marr)
13. Andrew Mitchell (Hawick)
12. Conor Bickerstaff (Marr)
11. Callum Young (Jed-Forest)

10. Aaron McColm (Selkirk)
9. Gregor Christie (Currie)

1. Shawn Muir (Hawick)
2. Fergus Scott – CAPTAIN (Currie Chieftains)
3. Gary Strain (Glasgow Hawks)
4. Mike Vernel (Currie Chieftains)
5. Gregor Law (Jed-Forest)
6. Nathaniel Coe (Aberdeen Grammar)
7. Wallace Nelson (Currie Chieftains)
8. Ewan MacDougall (Selkirk)

Substitutes

16. Matt Carryer (Hawick)
17. William Farquhar (Marr)
18. Calvin Henderson (Marr)
19. Robin Cessford (Aberdeen Grammar)
20. Rhys Davies (Currie) *
21. Patrick Boyer (Glasgow Hawks)
22. Colin Sturgeon (Marr)
23. Steven Hamilton (Currie Chieftains)

* uncapped Scotland Club XV player