Scotland include Chiefs duo for clash with Wales

By Mark Stevens
9/2/23

Exeter Chiefs duo Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray have both been named in Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad to face Wales in the second fixture of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations at BT Murrayfield on Saturday (4.45pm).

Hogg keeps his place at full-back in a starting line-up that shows just one change from that which defeated England at Twickenham last Saturday.

Club-mate Gray is again included on the bench against a Welsh side that will include fellow Chiefs, Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza, in their starting line-up.

Townsend’s sole change sees Zander Fagerson returns to the front row with fellow tighthead prop WP Nel moving to the replacements’ bench. The 54-cap prop will form a front-row also containing loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman and hooker George Turner.

Vice-captain Grant Gilchrist again partners Richie Gray in the second row, with Matt Fagerson packing down at the base of the scrum, flanked by captain Jamie Ritchie and Luke Crosbie.

In the backs, double Calcutta Cup try-scoring winger Duhan van der Merwe is joined in the back three by Kyle Steyn and Hogg, while Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, who scored the opening try against England in round one, continue their centre partnership. Finn Russell and Ben White – also a try scorer last weekend – resume their half-back roles.

SCOTLAND SIDE TO FACE WALES

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 97 caps
14. Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 6 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 32 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 24 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) 66 caps
9. Ben White (London Irish) 10 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 17 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 54 caps
4. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 70 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 60 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby, capt) 37 caps
7. Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 3 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 29 caps

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 58 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 26 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 51 caps
19. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) 73 caps
20. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 19 caps
22. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 39 caps
23. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 40 caps