Vern Cotter has made five changes to the Scotland line-up to take on England at Twickenham this weekend. Finn Russell returns from his ban to take the number ten shirt, while outside him Matt Scott takes over from Alex Dunbar at inside centre. Dougie Fife comes onto the wing in place of Sean Lamont. Both Lamont and Dunbar are injured.
In the pack, Jim Hamilton starts in the engine room in the place of Tim Swinson, who drops to the bench. Dave Denton makes his first appearance of the Six Nations at number eight, replacing Johnnie Beattie.
Beattie is named amongst the replacements, alongside Adam Ashe on a bench that shows a six/two split of forwards/backs – a pretty good indication of where Cotter expects the game to be won and lost.
SCOTLAND TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND
15 Stuart Hogg; 30 caps, 9 tries, 1 pen, 48 points
14 Dougie Fife; 4 caps, 1 try, 5 points
13 Mark Bennett; 5 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Matt Scott; 23 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
11 Tommy Seymour; 15 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
10 Finn Russell; 7 caps, 1 con, 2 points
9 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN; 37 caps, 3 tries, 39 cons, 78 pens, 327 points
1 Alasdair Dickinson; 42 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
2 Ross Ford; 83 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Euan Murray; 64 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
4 Jim Hamilton; 59 caps, 1 try, 5 points
5 Jonny Gray; 11 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 Robert Harley; 13 caps, 1 try, 5 points
7 Blair Cowan; 9 caps, 1 try, 5 points
8 David Denton; 23 caps
Replacements
16 Fraser Brown; 6 caps
17 Ryan Grant; 20 caps
18 Geoff Cross; 38 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
19 Tim Swinson; 10 caps
20 Johnnie Beattie; 37 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21 Adam Ashe; 3 caps
22 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 3 caps
23 Greig Tonks; 2 caps
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
5 replies on “Six Nations 2015: Scotland team named to play England”
Probably as strong a starting fifteen as we can field at the minute. Still not sure about Fife but with Lamont injured, Maitland only just back and Visser on poor form its the only real option. Alex Dunbar is a huge loss, probably our best player so far. Laidlaw needs to find his form from the Autumn, been back to the usual slow service in recent games.
Good to see a ball carrying 8 in the team as been missing some go forward from there and can only assume Hamilton is in there to help stop the English mauls but the same discipline issues are there.
The bench is really confusing me. Looks like we’re expecting to be beaten up in the forwards hence the 6/2 split forwards/backs but two eights on the bench seems really unnecessary. Backline replacements look short, would’ve rather had Peter Horne there to cover 10/12 as well.
Worried about Saturday now.
And yet Laidlaw has been on fire for Glos. Our player of the season so far, with honourable mention to Kvesic.
is that two No8’s on the bench? (Ashe and Beattie)
Yes that is 2 No.8’s on the bench
Not sure what you are getting at
Not “getting at” anything Leon. It is a simple question.