Scotland under-20 head coach Peter Wright has reshuffled the pack as he takes his charges to Italy for the final game of the RBS 6 Nations championship.
 
After suffering four defeats in the first four games, Wright says his focus is on getting his young team mentally prepared for the game in Brescia.
 
Despite running a good French side close at Netherdale in their previous outing at home, he believes the twenty six-point loss to Ireland was a step down in performance.
 
Wright said: “It’s going to be a difficult last game particularly after the step backwards we saw last week.  Other than a change at scrum half we’re keeping the same backline but felt it was a good time to make some changes in the pack.  
 
“The lineout struggled against Ireland, that’s something we need to work on this week.
The only change in the back line sees Murray McConnell (Glasgow Warriors/Ayr) start in place of Matt Torrance (Ospreys), with Dundee HSFP’s Callum Reid getting the chance of a first start in the back-row, replacing Jamie Swanson of Boroughmuir at number 8.
 
Adam Sinclair (Stirling County) returns to his starting berth alongside Jonny Gray (Hamilton) in the second row with Wright looking for the abrasive lock to help redress the misfiring lineout.  Currie’s Fergus Scott has passed a fitness test and will start at hooker, with George Turner (Edinburgh Rugby/Edinburgh Accies) moving to the bench.
 
Wright added:  “We obviously look at all teams and when we saw Italy in their first matches they lacked structure and shape but they really turned it around in their last game against Wales, they looked really good.”
 
“It’s never easy to play Italy on their own patch, and they are big tough guys. They are coming off a good performance and playing at home while we are coming off a pretty disappointing performance and have to travel.”
 
It’s been a theme for the young Scotland side that they’ve come up against physically bigger teams and have struggled in the contact areas.
 
Wright said it was about finding a way to counter that disadvantage.
 
“It’s been the case for us for a while now that we don’t have size working to our advantage.  We have to keep playing to our strengths and keep up the pace and mobility and hopefully work their forwards around the pitch.”
 
Scotland under-20 team to play Italy under-20, San Michele Stadium, Calvisano, Brescia, Friday 16 March (kick off 6pm local/7pm GMT)
 
 
15.Tommy Allan (Western Province)
14 Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Rugby/Edinburgh Accies)
13.Mark Bennett (Clermont Auvergne)
12.Finn Russell (Falkirk)
11.Michael Crawley (Boroughmuir)
 
10. Harry Leonard (Edinburgh Rugby) (Capt.)
9. Murray McConnell (Glasgow Warriors/Ayr)
 
1.Robin Hislop (Edinburgh Rugby)
2.Fergus Scott (Currie)
3.Alex Allan (Loughborough Students)
4.Adam Sinclair (Stirling County)
5.Jonny Gray (Hamilton)
6.Mitch Eadie (Bristol Rugby)
7.Will Bordill (Sale Sharks)
8.Callum Reid (Edinburgh Accies)
 
16. George Turner (Edinburgh Rugby/Stewart’s Melville))
17. Gavin Robertson (Dundee HSFP)
18. Andrew Redmayne (Dundee HSFP)
19. Jamie Swanson (Boroughmuir)
20. Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County)
21. Matt Torrance (Ospreys)
22. Robbie Fergusson (Ayr)
23. Tom Steven (Glasgow Hawks)
 

This article was posted on 13-Mar-2012, 17:57 by Hugh Barrow.