Gray and Hogg to start against Ireland

By Mark Stevens
12/3/21

Exeter Chiefs duo Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray will both start for Scotland in Sunday's Guinness Six Nations Championship clash with Ireland at BT Murrayfield (3pm).

Hogg will skipper the side from full-back, while Gray will pack down in the second-row alongside Scott Cummings for a seventh successive international.

Elsewhere, head coach Gregor Townsend has made four changes to his starting line-up from that which lost 25-24 against Wales a month ago.

In the pack, prop WP Nel comes in at tighthead for his first start since the 2019 Rugby World Cup, while Jamie Ritchie returns at blindside flanker.

Behind them, Sean Maitland - who last weekend was part of the Saracens side defeated by the Cornish Pirates in their Championship opener - returns on the wing, while Sam Johnson gets his first Six Nations start of the season.

Blade Thomson, Darcy Graham, James Lang and the suspended Zander Fagerson drop out of the side.

Ahead of the game, Townsend said: “We are well aware of the threats posed by an experienced Ireland squad and our players have prepared for a contest they know is going to require one of their best performances.

“We had prepared well for our postponed game against France, and the players have adapted well to the change of plans and have brought real energy and focus to our training sessions this week.”

“Playing Ireland is always a physical affair and one that demands you keep stepping up to make tackles or contest for possession. They have played well in their opening three games of the Championship and have some outstanding players in their squad. It should be a cracking game.”

SCOTLAND TEAM TO PLAY IRELAND

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, capt) – 82 caps
14. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 51 caps
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 25 caps
12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh) – 7 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 53 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps
1. Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh) – 13 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps
3. WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 42 caps
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) – 63 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 24 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh – 38 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps

16. David Cherry (Edinburgh) – 2 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Bath Rugby) – 16 caps
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 28 caps
19. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 42 caps
20. Nick Haining (Edinburgh) – 5 caps
21. Scott Steele (Harlequins) – 2 caps
22. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 28 caps
23. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 16 caps