Duhan passed fit, Gray returns for Scotland
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Duhan van der Merwe has been cleared to start in Scotland’s Six Nations opener, while lock Jonny Gray is set to make his first Test appearance in nearly two years after being named to face Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday.
South African import and Scotland’s record try-scorer, Van der Merwe has been passed fit following an ankle problem. Meanwhile 30-year-old Gray is back after missing the 2023 World Cup with a knee injury and declining a call-up for the November internationals after returning to action at the start of this season with French club Bordeaux-Begles.
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Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry is also in line for his first Test since the World Cup after coach Gregor Townsend surprisingly selected him ahead of the benched Ewan Ashman, and Stafford McDowall replaces injured captain Sione Tuipulotu at inside centre.
Scotland playmaker Finn Russell and flanker Rory Darge are the co-captains of the team.
SCOTLAND — 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Zander Fageron, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Bench: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Gregor Brown, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 George Horne, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Kyle Rowe
Six Nations round 1 fixtures
Friday, 10pm: France v Wales (Paris)
Saturday, 4.15pm: Scotland v Italy (Edinburgh)
Saturday, 6.45pm: Ireland v England (Dublin)
The @Scotlandteam to take on the Italians #GuinnessM6Npic.twitter.com/xqaqkAzgIw
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) January 30, 2025
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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