Scotland: Kyle Steyn on wing in one of five changes for Six Nations trip to Italy

Adam Kyriacou 10 Mar 2022 10:41 AM

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made five changes to his team for their Six Nations meeting with Italy at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Glasgow Warriors scrum-half Ali Price is in line to make his 50th appearance for his country after being retained at number nine for the trip to Rome.

Price made his Test debut in 2016 against Georgia at Rugby Park and has since gone on to combine with Finn Russell to create an established pairing.

Five changes to Scotland team

In one of those five tweaks to the side that fell to France, Sam Johnson returns to the XV after his start in the victory over England in the first round.

Kyle Steyn makes his first start in the Six Nations having come off the bench against France in 2020. The Glasgow Warriors wing marked his first Scotland start in style last year, scoring four tries in the Autumn Nations Series against Tonga. Edinburgh’s Darcy Graham will occupy the opposite wing following three impressive performances so far in the Championship, with Exeter Chiefs full-back Stuart Hogg once again captaining the side.

In the forwards, Glasgow Warriors’ Matt Fagerson returns from injury to start at number eight while fellow Edinburgh back-rower Hamish Watson is also named in the starting line-up having missed out against France through Covid. Fresh from signing a long-term contract with Glasgow Warriors, Rory Darge retains his place.

Edinburgh’s Grant Gilchrist and Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Skinner are unchanged in the second-row from the France match.

In the front-row George Turner is brought into the starting line-up. Glasgow Warriors prop Zander Fagerson keeps his place in the first XV along with Edinburgh’s Pierre Schoeman.

In the replacements Ben Vellacott is in line to make his debut. The scrum-half has been capped for Scotland U20s and joined Edinburgh this season following two years at Gloucester.

Adam Hastings could make his first appearance of the 2022 Six Nations from the bench and will take his place alongside Sione Tuipulotu who is also named as a replacement.

Stuart McInally, WP Nel and Allan Dell are options in the front-row as replacements while Edinburgh duo Magnus Bradbury and Jamie Hodgson are available to come off the bench in the back five.

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg (c), 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Rory Darge, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Sam Skinner, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Allan Dell, 18 WP Nel, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Magnus Bradbury, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Sione Tuipulotu

Date: Saturday, March 12
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 15:15 local (14:15 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU), Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (RFU)

Italy