Bold claim: Scotland shake up their pack for a high-stakes showdown with England, as four forwards come in while two familiar names exit the starting lineup. But here’s where it gets controversial: the XV still leaves out British & Irish Lions stars Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, and Duhan van der Merwe for the second straight game.
Gregory Townsend trims the pack in response to the narrow 18-15 setback in Italy, introducing a fresh balance for Murrayfield’s Six Nations clash.
Key changes: George Turner steps in at hooker for the injured Ewan Ashman, and former captain Jamie Ritchie enters the back row, replacing Matt Fagerson. At loosehead, Nathan McBeth earns his first start of the competition, with Glasgow teammate Gregor Brown partnering in the second row.
This reshuffle brings ten players from the United Rugby Championship leaders into the squad, with four more named among the replacements. Notably, there are no Edinburgh players in the starting XV.
On the bench, David Cherry provides hooker cover, and the backs depth includes winger Graham, while Kinghorn and Van der Merwe miss out entirely.
Van der Merwe remains Scotland’s top try-scorer against England, boasting six career tries and a memorable hat-trick the last time the teams met at Murrayfield in 2024.
England opened their campaign with a commanding 48-7 win over Wales at Twickenham, extending their unbeaten streak to 12 Tests. Scotland’s recent head-to-head outlook isn’t perfect either: they lost 16-15 in London last year after having won the previous four encounters.
This game also marks Gregor Townsend’s 100th match in charge of Scotland, as he aims to notch a sixth victory against England in nine meetings.
What do you think—does this forward-focused shake-up tilt the balance in Scotland’s favor, or will the absence of Kinghorn, Graham, and van der Merwe prove costly against England? Share your thoughts below.
