Stafford McDowall has been named to start out at centre for Scotland for his or her Six Nations conflict vs Italy instead of the injured Sione Tuipulotu, whereas wing Duhan van der Merwe has shaken off a knock to start out.
Tuipulotu, who captained Scotland within the autumn and was in very good type, will miss all the championship as a consequence of a pectoral chest harm suffered in coaching.
Document try-scorer Van der Merwe has overcome an ankle downside and can begin within the again three alongside Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn.
Elsewhere, skilled forwards Dave Cherry and Jonny Grey will make their first Scotland appearances since 2023 after being chosen to start out.
Bordeaux lock Grey, 30, has not featured for the nationwide crew because the final time the Azzurri visited Murrayfield on Six Nations responsibility in 2023 after being derailed by a severe knee harm.
Nevertheless, he’ll now add to his 77 caps after his brother Richie vacated the scene when he moved to Japan final yr whereas Scott Cummings was dominated out of the match by harm.
Edinburgh hooker Cherry is probably the most notable inclusion within the XV after being chosen forward of club-mate Ewan Ashman, who appeared to have made the place his personal following George Turner’s transfer to Japan final yr.
Cherry, 34, has not performed for Scotland since he left the 2023 World Cup squad following a concussion sustained whereas falling on stairs on the crew lodge in Good on a day without work within the wake of the opening pool-stage fixture in opposition to South Africa, a match through which he got here on as a sub.
Former Scotland skipper Jamie Ritchie has been chosen to start out within the back-row forward of Jack Dempsey, who is called on the bench after not too long ago recovering from harm.
Ben White has held on to his place at scrum-half regardless of beginning solely one in all Toulon’s matches because the autumn sequence, whereas Finn Russell and Rory Darge will co-captain the aspect within the absence of Tuipulotu.
Ashman is called on the bench, with Glasgow trio George Horne, Tom Jordan and Kyle Rowe the three backs listed among the many subs.
Scotland’s crew to face Italy in Six Nations Spherical 1
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell (co-captain), 9 Ben White; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Jonny Grey, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Rory Darge (co-captain), 8 Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: 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 2025: Fixtures & schedule
Scotland’s championship schedule:
- Italy – Murrayfield – Saturday February 1 – 2.15pm (GMT)
- Eire – Murrayfield – Sunday February 9 – 3pm (GMT)
- England – Twickenham – Saturday February 22 – 4.45pm (GMT)
- Wales – Murrayfield – Saturday March 8 – 4.45pm (GMT)
- France – Stade de France – Saturday March 15 – 8pm (GMT)
