Scotland make four changes for Argentina clash as U20s target record equalling World Championship finish
Fergus Pringle rotates team as young Scots look to push for fifth place finish in Georgia.
Scotland’s Under 20 World Championship campaign continues on Sunday as Fergus Pringle’s side aim to equal their highest ever finish in the competition.
The head coach has made four changes to the team that beat Japan in their final Pool Stage match and ensured they would finish second in their table and compete in the fifth place play-off. lex Bryden, Hamish McArthur, Will Pearce and Oliver Finlayson-Russell replacing Campbell Waugh, Matthew Fick, Ollie McKenna and Jack Utterson.
They face Argentina in Georgia on Sunday with the winner of that match advancing to face either Australia or Wales in the final. Scotland last finished fifth in the competition back in 2017.
Scotland under 20 coach explains squad rotation ahead of Argentina clash
"We have a few back from the last game,” said Pringle. “Will Pearce didn't play the last game and he's pretty fresh. We're lucky to have strength and depth in the props, and Jackson took a bit of a bang to his shoulder from the last week, so we thought Will coming in fresh would give us some good energy to start and then Ollie McKenna on the bench, with Jamie Stewart covering tight-head with Jackson having a break.
“Ollie Finlayson-Russell has had a good impact off the bench in the first three games, so we thought it was a good opportunity just in terms of some of the threats Argentina will pose, to give him a start. Alex Bryden started the New Zealand game, went well, we rotated and put Campbell Waugh in there for the Japan game, so he comes in having had some good experience over the competition.
"Then we just thought it was a good opportunity to give Hamish a go. With the way we want to approach this game, we thought his skill-set suits our plan, and he's worked really hard while he's been over here, he's been training really well, so he fully deserves a go.”
Scotland team: 15 Rory McHaffie, 14 Daniel Kelly, 13 Henry Kesterton, 12 Alex Bryden, 11 Nairn Moncrieff, 10 Jake Dalziel, 9 Hamish MacArthur. 1 Will Pearce, 2 Joe Robert - captain, 3 Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 4 Christian Lindsay, 5 Dan Halkon, 6 Sam Byrd, 7 Harvey Preston, 8 Oliver Finlayson-Russell. Replacements: 16 Jack Utterson, 17 Ollie McKenna, 18 Jamie Stewar, 19 Finlay Mather, 20 Archie Appleby, 21 Asa Stewart-Harris, 22 Harry Soboil, 23 Ewan Caven.
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