Full-back Ollie Smith, utility back fly-half Blair Kinghorn, lock Sam Skinner replace injured trio Stuart Hogg (ankle), Finn Russell (knee), Richie Gray (rib) for Scotland vs Italy in Round 5 Six Nations match at Murrayfield; Hamish Watson recalled to start at openside
Last Updated: 16/03/23 10:54am
Blair Kinghorn has returned to start for Scotland at No 10 vs Italy in the Six Nations, with Finn Russell out injured
Gregor Townsend has made four changes to his Scotland side to face Italy in their Six Nations finale clash, with key men Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Richie Gray ruled out injured, and Blair Kinghorn starting at 10.
A knee injury rules Russell out with Kinghorn coming in, while Ollie Smith starts at full-back for his third Test cap in place of Hogg (ankle).
Second-row Richie Gray limped off early against Ireland with a suspected rib injury, which sees Sam Skinner called up and into the starting XV.
The fourth change sees Hamish Watson return to start at openside flanker, with skipper Jamie Ritchie shifting back to blindside and Matt Fagerson dropping to the bench.
Ollie Smith starts at full-back for only his third Scotland Test cap
The replacements bench sees a number of alterations, with all three front-rows changed: hooker Ewan Ashman, loosehead Rory Sutherland, tighthead WP Nel come in for Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti and Simon Berghan respectively.
Munster’s uncapped Ben Healy – Tipperary-born but Scottish-qualified – comes onto the bench, as …