Magnus Bradbury returns from injury to boost Scotland

Adam Kyriacou
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Scotland have made a solitary change to their team that will face England in their Six Nations clash on Saturday as Magnus Bradbury starts.

The 24-year-old Edinburgh back-row has recovered from the thigh strain that kept him from starting last weekend’s loss to Ireland, with club-mate and debutant that day, Nick Haining, moving to the bench.

The remaining change to the matchday 23 occurs on the bench, where Edinburgh tighthead Simon Berghan returns to the position in which he was selected last weekend, only to be ruled out through illness on the day of the game.

“We were proud of parts of our performance in Dublin at a very difficult venue. The challenge for the squad is to replicate that level and take our chances when they come, in order to win tight games,” said head coach Gregor Townsend.

“We were disappointed not to beat Ireland but the opportunity to face England, against whom we are bidding to retain the Calcutta Cup, is one that excites players, coaches and supporters alike.”

Bradbury – scorer of try number three of six in last year’s remarkable 11-try Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham – will feature in an all-Edinburgh back-row with Jamie Ritchie on the blindside and Hamish Watson at openside.

They will start behind an unchanged tight five of Glasgow Warriors second-rows Scott Cummings and Jonny Gray, and club-mates Fraser Brown (hooker) and Zander Fagerson (tighthead), with Edinburgh’s Rory Sutherland re-selected at loosehead.

No change to the backs means Ali Price and Adam Hastings will rekindle their club partnership at Test level, with fellow Warriors Huw Jones and Sam Johnson – try scorers against England in 2018 and 2019 respectively – in midfield.

Captain and full-back Stuart Hogg anchors a back three with Sean Maitland and Blair Kinghorn.

Townsend added: “England are an excellent team whose run to the Rugby World Cup final was no fluke.

“They will be smarting from their opener in Paris and Eddie [Jones] will have them primed to come to Edinburgh and put in an improved performance.

“This famous fixture is one that stands out given the history surrounding it and we will have to be at our very best to stand a chance of winning against our oldest rivals.”

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg (c), 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Rory Sutherland
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Ben Toolis, 20 Nick Haining, 21 George Horne, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 Chris Harris

Date: Saturday, February 8
Venue: Murrayfield
Kick-off: 16:45 GMT
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: James Leckie (Australia)

 

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