Three Borderers named in Scotland rugby team to face Wales this weekend

Darcy Graham takes on Georgian fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze last Friday. (Photo by Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)

Ex-Hawick players Stuart Hogg, Darcy Graham and Rory Sutherland will be in the Scotland team taking on the Welsh in their final game of 2020’s Guinness Six Nations tournament, taking their combined tally of caps to just short of 100.

Hogg, 28, returns as captain after missing last Friday’s 48-7 friendly victory against Georgia at Murrayfield in Edinburgh while away on duty with his club side, Exeter Chiefs, winning the European Rugby Champions Cup and and English Premiership.

Set to pick up his 77th cap, he’s one of five changes to the starting XV from last week.

Stuart Hogg returns as Scotland captain this weekend. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Graham, 23, returns after scoring two tries against Georgia to claim his 13th cap and his Edinburgh team-mate Sutherland, 26, also retains his starting place for what will be his ninth cap.

Former Falkirk player Finn Russell lines up at fly-half after winning his 50th cap, and his first of this year, in the Georgia victory.

Hooker Fraser Brown, last Friday’s captain, is named as one of two vice-captains, packing down with Sutherland and Zander Fagerson in an unchanged front row.

National head coach and former Galashiels star Gregor Townsend said: “As a group, we are very much looking forward to finally completing our fixture against Wales and returning to play Guinness Six Nations rugby again.

“We were highly motivated back in March, and that extra edge has come back into our training and preparations this week.

“It’s been great to bring in quality and experience to our starting line-up with players such as Stuart, Jonny Gray and Finn who have been involved in some high-level games in recent weeks.

“We are expecting a physical battle against a very good side, one which we will be working hard to stay in the fight and to finish the fight in Llanelli.

“Ultimately, this game provides an opportunity for us to end this extended championship on a positive note and go into the Autumn Nations Cup with some added belief in what this group of players can achieve.”

Saturday’s game, rescheduled from March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is taking place at Parc Y Scarlets, kicking off at 2.15pm, and will be screened live on BBC1.

Also in the starting line-up are Chris Harris, James Lang, Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price, Scott Cummings, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson and Blade Thomson.

On the substitutes’ bench are Stuart McInally, Oli Kebble, Simon Berghan, Ben Toolis, Cornell du Preez, Scott Steele, Adam Hastings and Duhan van der Merwe.