Both sides will field predominantly U19 teams, with a handful of U20 players also included to give them game time ahead of the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Scotland U20 Forwards Coach Fergus Pringle will coach the side, and has named prop Ben White and stand-off Ross Wolfenden as co-captains.

White is joined in the front row by Jamie Stewart at tighthead, with Ayr RFC hooker Jamie McAughtrie.

Strathallan School pupil Finn Ronnie starts in the second row, paired with Edinburgh Rugby prospect Mac Rutherford. Warriors academy player Rory Purvis is at blindside flanker, University of St Andrews rugby scholar Oliver Finlayson-Russell is at openside and the forwards are completed by number 8 Logan Gray of Stirling County.

Scrum-half Ben Curtis joins Wolfenden in the half-backs. There is pro-club academy involvement across the centres, with Glasgow’s Alex Bryden on the inside and Edinburgh’s Sam Leweni outside him.

GHA winger Jack Craig starts on the left, with Nairn Moncrieff on the right. The side is completed by Glasgow Warriors’ Harry Provan.

A sizeable bench includes forwards replacements Oliver McKenna, Dylan Neill, Will Pearce, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, James Campbell, Anthony McCormack, Sam Byrd, Archie McMichael and Zander Mactaggart.

The backs replacements are Hector Patterson, Isaac Coates, Felix Champain, Jamie Thomson and Cameron van Wyk.

Pringle said: “It’s a great opportunity for this group of players to get some international experience. While some of the players have experienced international U20 games this season, it’s the first opportunity for quite a few of the players. They’ll be determined to show what they can do ahead of the U20 Championship in the summer.

“Having played against Scotland U18 and trained together last week and this week, there is definitely some cohesion building into the game.

“The players are excited to challenge themselves against a very tough Italy squad and they will no doubt give a good account of themselves individually and as a group.”

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Scotland U19 team to play Italy U19 at the Greenyards, Melrose today (kick off 4pm)

15. Harry Provan* (Glasgow Warriors)
14. Nairn Moncrieff* (Edinburgh Rugby)
13. Sam Leweni* (Edinburgh Rugby)
12. Alex Bryden* (Glasgow Warriors)
11. Jack Craig (GHA RFC)
10. Ross Wolfenden* – CO-CAPTAIN (Edinburgh Rugby)
9. Ben Curtis (GHA RFC)

1. Ben White – CO-CAPTAIN (Melrose RFC)
2. Jamie McAughtrie (Glasgow Academicals RFC/Ayr RFC)
3. Jamie Stewart* (Edinburgh Rugby)
4. Mac Rutherford* (Edinburgh Rugby)
5. Finn Ronnie (Strathallan School)
6. Rory Purvis* (Glasgow Warriors)
7. Oliver Finlayson-Russell (University of St Andrews)
8. Logan Gray (Stirling County)

Replacements
16. Oliver McKenna* (Glasgow Warriors)
17. Will Pearce (Cardiff Metropolitan University/Bristol Bears)
18. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty* (Edinburgh Rugby)
19. Anthony McCormack (Hull RUFC/Bishop Burton University)
20. Sam Byrd (Rugby School/Leicester Tigers)
21. Hector Patterson* (Edinburgh Rugby)
22. Felix Champain (Worth School/Harlequins)
23. Jamie Thomson (University of St Andrews)
24. James Campbell (Glasgow Hawks)
25. Dylan Neill (Heriots RFC)
26. Zander Mactaggart (Merchiston Castle School)
27. Archie McMichael* (Glasgow Warriors)
28. Cameron Van Wyk (Ayr RFC)
29. Isaac Coates* (Edinburgh Rugby)

*Denotes Scottish Rugby Academy Player