Pack to the future for Under-20s in bid to start World Rugby Trophy in style
Scotland’s pack are determined to front up this evening against Samoa and give their backs plenty of ball to cause the opposition problems in the under-20 men’s World Rugby Trophy opener.
After missing out on promotion last year in Kenya from the Trophy, Scotland now have home advantage in the same event at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh between today and July 17.
They desperately want to claim top spot in the eightteam tournament to get into the top-tier Championship in 2025 – and their campaign starts versus Samoa (5.15pm).
“Our pack is prepared and ready to put in some good performances in this tournament,” said back-rower Jonny Morris, who will look to make an impact off the bench in this one.
“Forwards coach Fergus Pringle is very much into his detail and we know our roles.
“We know that if we can put in good performances then we have backs who can cause teams problems.
“The goal is to win silverware and promotion come July 17, but you cannot look further than the next game so all of our recent preparation has been with Samoa in mind.”
Morris, 20, who began his rugby journey at Perthshire RFC, added: “Since the Six Nations earlier the year we have been working hard on things. “There was a lot of learnings to take from that event as in each game we played two different halves of rugby and we have been looking at how we can put together 80-minute performances in this Trophy tournament and how we can become a more consistent side that plays to our strengths.
“Over the past few months a lot of the boys have been back in their pro environments or playing for Super Series clubs and I think that has been really positive because it has put everyone in good shape and feeling focused heading into the next couple of weeks.”
The other matches today are, in Pool A, Japan versus Hong Kong China at 11.45am and, in Pool B, Uruguay versus Kenya at 2.30pm and Netherlands versus USA at 7.45pm.
The Scotland match will be broadcast on BBC ALBA.
The Scotland team in full is: Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors); Finlay Doyle (Loughborough University), Johnny Ventisei (Glasgow Warriors), Findlay Thomson (Watsonians), Geordie Gwynn (Ealing Trailfinders/brunel University);
Andrew Mclean (Boroughmuir Bears), Conor Mcalpine (Watsonians); Robbie Deans (Edinburgh Rugby), Jerry Blyth-lafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), Ollie Blythlafferty (Edinburgh Rugby), Euan Mcvie (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Burke (Glasgow Warriors), Liam Mcconnell (Edinburgh Rugby, C), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby), Tom Currie (Edinburgh Rugby). Subs: Gavin Parry (Watsonians/pontypridd RFC), Ben White (Biggar RFC), Callum Norrie (Glasgow Warriors), Ruaraidh Hart (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Morris (Glasgow Warriors), Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby), Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Hocking (Edinburgh Rugby).
5.15 Kick-off time for Scotland v Samoa