No Finn Russell As Scotland Name New-Look Team For Six Nations Opener With Ireland

New-look.

​Edinburgh number 8 Nick Haining will make his Test debut in a new-look Scotland side named to face Ireland in the opening round of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations in Dublin.

There are ten changes to the starting side that faced Japan in Scotland’s final match of the Rugby World Cup, split evenly between the forwards and backs.

Haining anchors an all-Edinburgh back-row with fit-again openside Hamish Watson back in the side with returning blindside Jamie Ritchie. Magnus Bradbury misses out with a thigh strain. Glasgow Warriors lock Scott Cummings earns the chance to start his championship debut alongside clubmate and second-row stalwart Jonny Gray.

Hooker Fraser Brown retains his place at the centre of the front row and is flanked by in-form props Zander Fagerson and Rory Sutherland, the latter featuring for the first time since the 2016 summer tour.

Captain Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) and Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson are the only players retained in a back division that sees Glasgow scrum-half Ali Price and Saracens wing Sean Maitland start in place of recent international retirees Greig Laidlaw and Tommy Seymour.

Adam Hastings is named at 10 in place of Finn Russell for his first championship start alongside fellow Warrior, Price. Huw Jones returns alongside Sam Johnson in midfield. Edinburgh back Blair Kinghorn starts in place of injured winger Darcy Graham (knee) to complete the back-three with Hogg and Maitland.

Scotland team vs Ireland

15. Stuart Hogg (c)
14. Sean Maitland
13. Huw Jones
12. Sam Johnson
11. Blair Kinghorn
10. Adam Hastings
9. Ali Price

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Fraser Brown (vc)
3. Zander Fagerson
4. Scott Cummings
5. Jonny Gray
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Hamish Watson
8. Nick Haining

Replacements:
16. Stuart McInally
17. Allan Dell
18. Simon Berghan
19. Ben Toolis
20. Cornell du Preez
21. George Horne
22. Rory Hutchinson
23. Chris Harris

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