Borderers Kerr Johnston and Monroe Job in action for Scotland against Wales in rugby’s Under-20 Six Nations

Kerr Johnston in action for Scotland's under-20s during their 37-29 loss to Wales in Colwyn Bay in rugby's age-grade Six Nations on Friday (Photo: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho)

Gala’s Kerr Johnston was in head coach Kenny Murray’s starting XV and he was joined by Selkirk’s Monroe Job, brought on as a replacement for Liam McConnell, for the last seven minutes of their 37-29 defeat in Colwyn Bay.

Hooker Elliot Young and flanker Freddie Douglas scored tries at the double for the young Scots, 29-25 ahead at one point, with inside centre Kerr Yule adding another and fly-half Isaac Coates kicking two conversions.

Their hosts’ try-scorers were Huw Anderson, Walker Price twice, Morgan Morse, Harri Ackerman and Rhodri Lewis, with Harri Wilde adding a penalty and a conversion and Harri Ford also converting.

“We’ve got to learn how to manage games better. At this level, you get punished hard for errors,” Murray, 50, told rugby website the Offside Line afterwards.

Winger Johnston, 19, is on a Scottish Rugby Academy contract and trains with United Rugby Championship side Glasgow Warriors and No 8 Job, also 19, plays for Fosroc Super Series outfit Southern Knights.

Friday’s game was Johnston’s fifth U20 appearance and Job’s third.The other Borderers in Murray’s 35-strong squad for this year’s age-grade tournament are Denholm’s Hector Patterson, Hawick's Fraser Wilson, Selkirk’s Callum Smyth and Melrose’s Finn Douglas.

Next up for the Scottish under-20s is a match at home to France at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium at 8pm this Friday, and they’re back in the capital to host England on Friday, February 23, at 7.15pm, then away to Italy in Treviso on Friday, March 8, at 7.15pm and Ireland in Cork on Friday, March 15, at 7pm.