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After a challenging opening fixture in their IRB Junior World Championship campaign, Scotland under-20 regroup with wholesale changes to the team who will take on their Samoan counterparts on Friday 6 June (k/o 3.35pm local, 4.35am UK).
From the squad base in Auckland, head coach Sean Lineen said: "We've changed the front row round completely and there are a few other changes but it's a long tour. We need to give the guys experience but we need to look at ways of winning games.”
In the starting backs, centre Neil Herron and scrum-half Alex Glashan retain their berths, Damien Hoyland moves to full back and Jamie Farndale moves from left to right wing, while lock Andy Cramond and captain Tommy Spinks remain from the XV that took on South Africa, the latter moving to no 8 from flanker.
Lineen said: "We've a very strong squad and some good younger players – the likes of Zander [Fagerson] was outstanding when he came on, so it's good to see him and D'arcy [Rae] competing for that tighthead berth.
"Lewis Carmichael did well and Ben Chalmers was very good in the first half against South Africa but we need to look after our players for the games ahead, so they're being rested.”
After an early breakaway score to put them ahead against South Africa – one that rates as a top five try from the opening round – the Scots went into the break 14-5 down before ending the match with a further 47 unanswered points against them.
Lineen said: "They're a very good team but our defence has been something we've had to work on from day one and it's still an area we have to work on – we missed too many tackles in the second half.
"We got stuck in at the set piece and scored a cracking try but we couldn't keep it up. The intensity of them blew us away in the second half unfortunately.”
Away from the competitive arena, the squad have been immersing themselves in New Zealand's rich rugby culture. An additional attraction has been coming across Ma'a Nonu and team mates in the gym, as Scotland's hotel is next door to where the New Zealand squad are staying, prior to their upcoming home fixture against England.
Lineen said: "Everything's rugby here. There's wall to wall coverage, we've got the Rugby Channel on here at the hotel, so the guys are watching games from the southern and northern hemisphere – the Glasgow Warriors' PRO12 final has been here on repeat four or five times – and five pages in the newspaper are devoted every day to rugby."
The cultural experience has also included a visit to Lineen's former club, Bombay, on the outskirts of Auckland.
"That was great, so many of my old team came to see us – they're greyer and bigger but still crack the same old jokes. The boys integrated well and it underlined to them how fortunate and privileged they are to be in a position like this, to come to a place like this and learn and enjoy.
"But now we've got a massive game on Friday.
"We're up against a Samoan team who lost heavily to New Zealand but they work hard and they're pretty physical. There are only three of their players who don't play in New Zealand so we know we're up against it but the guys are really looking forward to it.”
Scotland under-20 team to take on Samoa under-20, Friday 6 June, kick-off 3.35pm local (4.35am UK)
15 Damien Hoyland (Melrose) *
14 Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Accies/Edinburgh Rugby) **
13 Blair Hutchison (Loughborough University/Melrose)
12 Neil Herron (Glasgow Hawks/Scotland 7s) **
11 Sam Pecqueur (Edinburgh Accies)
10 Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)
9 Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Accies/Scotland 7s) **
1 Phil Cringle (Edinburgh Accies/Edinburgh Rugby) **
2 James Malcolm (Ayr) *
3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Hawks)
4 Andy Cramond (Aberdeen Grammar)
5 Glen Young (Newcastle Falcons)
6 Jamie Ritchie (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife) *
7 Gabriel Carroll (Loughborough University)
8 Tommy Spinks (London Scottish) (c)
Substitutes
16 Sam James (London Wasps)
17 Jack Cosgrove (Worcester Warriors)
18 D'arcy Rae (Ayr/Glasgow Warriors) **
19 Neil Irvine-Hess (Watsonians/Edinburgh Rugby) **
20 Magnus Bradbury (Boroughmuir/Edinburgh Rugby) **
21 Ben Vellacott (Hartpury/Gloucester)
22 Gavin Lowe (Glasgow Hawks/Glasgow Warriors) **
23 Chris Dean (Edinburgh Accies/Scotland 7s) **
Scotland under-20 squad for IRB Junior World Cup
Magnus Bradbury (Boroughmuir/Edinburgh Rugby) **
Lewis Carmichael (Melrose) *
Ben Chalmers (Melrose)
Gabriel Carroll (Loughborough University)
Jack Cosgrove (Worcester Warriors)
Andrew Cramond (Aberdeen Grammar)
Philip Cringle (Edinburgh Accies/Edinburgh Rugby) **
Chris Dean (Edinburgh Accies/Scotland 7s) **
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Hawks)
Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Accies/Edinburgh Rugby) **
Cameron Fenton (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife) *
Alex Glashan (Edinburgh Accies/Scotland 7s) **
Neil Herron (Glasgow Hawks/Scotland 7s) **
Damien Hoyland (Melrose) *
Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)
Blair Hutchison (Loughborough University/Melrose)
Neil Irvine-Hess (Watsonians/Edinburgh Rugby) **
Sam James (London Wasps)
Gavin Lowe (Glasgow Hawks/Glasgow Warriors) **
James Malcolm (Ayr) *
Gavin Parker (Exeter University)
Sam Pecqueur (Edinburgh Accies)
D'arcy Rae (Ayr/Glasgow Warriors) **
Jamie Ritchie (Strathallan School/Howe of Fife) *
Tommy Spinks (London Scottish) (captain)
Ben Vellacott (Hartpury/Gloucester)
Glen Young (Newcastle Falcons)
Ruairidh Young (Edinburgh Accies)
* member of Scottish Rugby's Regional Academy supported by sportscotland Institute of Sport
**Elite Development Player 2013/14
The IRB Junior World Cup 2014 is being held in Auckland, New Zealand. Scotland's pool games are against:
South Africa (Monday 2 June, k/o 3.35pm local) - see highlights here
Samoa (Friday 6 June, k/o 3.35pm local)
New Zealand (Tuesday 10 June, k/o 7.35pm local)
Further fixtures on Sunday 15 June and Friday 20 June are dependent on results. Last year, Scotland finished in 10th place in the tournament. Auckland is 11 hours ahead of the UK.
Broadcast coverage
Scotland's game against New Zealand (Tuesday 10 June) will be shown live on Sky Sports 2 HD, with coverage starting at 8.30am (UK). Highlights of Scotland's other fixtures will be accessible approximately 12 hours after the end of each game. Due to broadcast rights issues, these matches will not be streamed live in the UK.
This article was posted on 5-Jun-2014, 06:44 by Hugh Barrow.
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