Melrose’s Greenyards hosts 52-22 defeat to Italy for Scotland’s under-19 rugby side

White and Wolfenden were among four Borderers in head coach Fergus Pringle’s starting line-up for that match at Melrose’s Greenyards, the others being ex-Gala right-winger and lock Nairn Moncrieff and Mac Rutherford, now, like Wolfenden, in United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh’s academy.

Making up the rest of the age-grade Scots’ starting XV were Harry Provan, Sam Leweni, Alex Bryden, Jack Craig, Ben Curtis, Jamie McAughtrie, Jamie Stewart, Finn Ronnie, Rory Purvis, Oliver Finlayson-Russell and Logan Gray.

Former Hawick scrum-half Hector Patterson, now in Edinburgh’s academy too, made a fleeting second-half appearance from the bench before going off injured.

His fellow replacements were Oliver McKenna, Will Pearce, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, Anthony McCormack, Sam Byrd, Felix Champain, Jamie Thomson, James Campbell, Dylan Neill, Zander Mactaggart, Archie McMichael, Cameron van Wyk and Isaac Coates.

The hosts’ tries, in front of a crowd of 888, were scored by White, inside-centre Bryden and full-back Provan, with Wolfenden converting two and also kicking a penalty.

Touching down for the Italians were Gioele Boccato at the double, Tommaso Roda, captain Antony Miranda, Christian Dotto, Luca Rossi, Matteo Silei and Carlo Bianchi, with Riccardo Favaretto adding five conversions and Dotto another.

Wednesday’s game is one of two being played by Pringle’s under-19s this month in preparation for June and July’s World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa, the other being south of the border at Percy Park in North Shields against England on Saturday, April 26, with kick-off at 2pm.

Entry to that follow-up match in North Tyneside will cost £10. For details, go to https://www.englandrugby.com/follow/news-media/england-u19-play-scotland-u19-percy-park-rfc

Scotland under-20 forwards coach Pringle, 47, wasn’t happy about seeing team go down by eight tries to three but reckons bringing back the under-19s is a worthwhile exercise, saying: “We’re disappointed with the scoreline.

“We started the match well, with a number of entries into their 22, but we weren’t clinical enough. On the flip-side, when they entered our 22, they took their chances.

“At the start of the second half, we gave them soft penalties, which allowed them to gain momentum. If we could have become more disciplined, then the scoreline would have been a lot closer.

“It was a good exercise overall. There are players there that did well and will take a lot of learnings. This will help the guys in their development.

“Having a match like this allowed guys who didn’t play a lot in the Six Nations an opportunity for game-time, as well as giving the younger players international exposure as they look to break into the Scotland under-20 squad.”