Related Post
| Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 5 December Kick-off: 14:15 GMT |
| Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds; follow live text on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Edinburgh fly-half Jaco van der Walt will make his Scotland debut in Saturday’s Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off in Ireland.
The 26-year-old, who was born in South Africa, is one of six changes to the side that lost to France.
Captain Stuart Hogg is in line to win his 80th Scotland cap.
Saracens’ Duncan Taylor is selected at inside centre and will makes his first Scotland start since the defeat of Russia at Rugby World Cup 2019.
Glasgow Warriors back Huw Jones and London Irish flanker Blair Cowan are set to make their first appearances of the autumn campaign from the bench.
Head coach Gregor Townsend said: “We have been impressed with Jaco over the time he has trained with us and we’re excited to see him take the next step into international test match rugby.
“Being able to bring back Rory Sutherland after his recent injury is a real boost and it’s great to involve Blair and Huw for the first time this season.
“If they get on the field, 39 players will have had opportunities to play over the past five games, which underlines the current player depth throughout Scottish rugby and shows the competition there is for places now in this Scotland team.
“It will be a tough challenge over in Ireland, given the quality of our opposition.”
More to follow.
Scotland team to face Ireland
Stuart Hogg, capt (Exeter Chiefs), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Gloucester) ,Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs), Blade Thomson (Scarlets), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Exeter Chiefs), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Maitland (Saracens).
