Six Nations 2025: Scotland's Stafford McDowall replaces Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan Van der Merwe passed fit for Italy clash

ByChris Byfield

Published 30/01/2025 at 17:14 GMT

Stafford McDowall replaces injured captain Sione Tuipulotu for Scotland's opening Six Nations match against Italy on Saturday, while record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe has been passed fit to start the game alongside Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn. Elsewhere, Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry and Bordeaux lock Jonny Gray will earn their first Scotland caps since 2023.

Stafford McDowall will replace injured captain Sione Tuipulotu at centre for Scotland's opening Six Nations match against Italy on Saturday.

Tuipulotu, who was central to Scotland’s fortunes in the autumn, has been ruled out for the entire Six Nations after suffering a pectoral chest injury in training. 

Record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe has shaken off an ankle knock to start in the back three alongside Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn. 

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Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry and Bordeaux lock Jonny Gray will earn their first caps in two years. It will be the former’s 12th appearance for his country, but his first since the 2023 World Cup. 

Scotland's Stafford McDowall breaks clear to score a first half try during The Famous Grouse Nations Series match between Scotland and Portugal at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, on November 16, 2024, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Gr

Image credit: Getty Images

Cherry was selected ahead of club-mate Ewan Ashman.

Gray will be earning his 78th cap, having not featured for Scotland since the last time Murrayfield welcomed Italy in the Six Nations, after suffering a serious knee injury.

The 30-year-old lock’s international resurgence comes with Scott Cummings being ruled out of the tournament through injury. 

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Former Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie has been selected to start in the back row ahead of Jack Dempsey, who only recently returned from injury, while Ben White has retained his place at scrum-half despite starting only one of Toulon’s matches since the autumn series. 

Finn Russell and Rory Darge will co-captain Gregor Townsend’s men in Tuipulotu’s absence.

Scotland team to face Italy:

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 Gray, 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

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