Rugby: Scotland ring the changes for clash in Ireland

REUTERS: Debutant Jaco van der Walt is one of six Scotland changes to face Ireland in the Autumn Nations Cup at the weekend as coach Gregor Townsend rung the changes after their home loss to France last month.

South African-born Van der Walt has been training with the team over the last month but only qualified this week on residency grounds after three years with Edinburgh.

He is the third South African newcomer to the Scottish side during the Autumn Nations Cup after wing Duhan van der Merwe and prop Oli Kebble, who are also in the matchday squad to play in Dublin on Saturday.

Townsend recalled Saracens centre Duncan Taylor for his first start since last year’s World Cup in Japan and brought back winger Darcy Graham after leaving him out for the last game against France a fortnight ago, which Scotland lost 22-15 at Murrayfield.

Edinburgh loosehead prop Rory Sutherland returns to the front row after injury while the back row sees a positional change and a new combination with flanker Jamie Ritchie moving to the openside and Blade Thomson on the blindside.

Glasgow back Huw Jones and London Irish flanker Blair Cowan are set to make their first appearances of the autumn campaign from the bench.

“We’ve been together for the past two months and from a coaching perspective it has been a real joy seeing the group come together and work so hard to improve both individually and collectively,” said Townsend on Thursday.

“We are looking forward to facing Ireland in what will be an opportunity to continue our progress away from home once again.”

Team:

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) – 79 caps (captain)

14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 14 caps

13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 22 caps

12. Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 27 caps

11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 4 caps

10. Jaco van der Walt (Edinburgh) – 0 caps

9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 36 caps

1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 10 caps

2. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 53 caps

3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 33 caps

4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps

5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 60 caps

6. Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – 8 caps

7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 22 caps

8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps

Replacements:

16. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) – 40 caps

17. Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps

18. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 39 caps

19. Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 9 caps

20. Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 17 caps

21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Exeter Chiefs) – 13 caps

22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps

23. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 49 caps

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)