Scotland change three in the pack for do-or-die trip to Ireland
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Scotland v Wales - Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain - March 8, 2025 Scotland's Grant Gilchrist wins the lineout against Wales' Will Rowlands. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo
March 12 : Scotland coach Gregor Townsend named Max Williamson and Grant Gilchrist in a new-look second row forced on him by injuries for the crunch Six Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday as his side bid for a first title in the competition since 1999.
Second-placed Scotland are level on points with leaders France in the table heading into the final round, but have a significant points difference deficit of 58.
That means they realistically need to better France’s points haul against England to lift their first Six Nations title in 27 years. If France get a bonus-point win over the English, that will likely rule Scotland out of the running.
Williamson and Gilchrist come in for the injured lock pairing of Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings, who were ruled out after the 50-40 win over France at Murrayfield last time out.
Prop Zander Fagerson is the third change in the pack as he comes into the front row alongside Pierre Schoeman and hooker George Turner.
Jack Dempsey is at number eight with Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge making up the remainder of the loose trio.
"Every time you play for Scotland there is going to be pressure and it is a privilege," Gilchrist said. "The reason there is pressure is because it means something and we will embrace that.
"There is so much to play for going into the last game of the Six Nations. We have not put ourselves in this position (before) and we are determined not to let this opportunity slip by us.
"We are going to enjoy this weekend, that is what we have done well over the last few weeks. We embraced the fact we were playing a top team and that there was pressure if we want to win the Six Nations and the Triple Crown this weekend."
The backline, so electric against the French, remains the same with flyhalf Finn Russell and scrumhalf Ben White the halfback pairing.
Captain Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones are in the midfield, with Blair Kinghorn at fullback. Kyle Steyn and Scotland’s record international try-scorer Darcy Graham are the wings.
Among the replacements are first involvements in this year's Six Nations for lock Alex Craig, back row Magnus Bradbury and Kyle Rowe, who will cover the back-three positions.
Scotland have lost their last 11 tests against Ireland and have not won in Dublin since 2010.
Scotland team:
15-Blair Kinghorn, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11-Kyle Steyn, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ben White, 1-Pierre Schoeman, 2-George Turner, 3-Zander Fagerson, 4-Max Williamson, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 6-Matt Fagerson, 7-Rory Darge, 8-Jack Dempsey
Replacements: 16-Ewan Ashman, 17-Rory Sutherland, 18-D'Arcy Rae, 19-Alex Craig, 20-Magnus Bradbury, 21-George Horne, 22-Kyle Rowe, 23-Tom Jordan
