Ritchie gets nod to add to summer tour caps

SCOTLAND: Dundee-born flanker in McInally-led team for clash with Wales

Stuart McInally will captain Scotland and former Strathallan School star Jamie Ritchie will make his first start on British soil in the Doddie Weir Cup against Wales at Cardiff on Saturday.

Ritchie, the 22-year-old Dundee-born flanker, who came up with Madras and Howe of Fife before signing professional terms when he was only 17, has been starring for Edinburgh over the last two seasons.

He won his first two Scotland caps on the summer tour to the Americas, playing in the wins over Canada and Argentina.

McInally took over the captaincy from the injured John Barclay in the summer and continues in the role in an all homebased team, as Saturday’s game at the Principality Stadium is outside World Rugby’s official international window.

As expected Adam Hastings, another who won his first caps in the summer, deputises for the absent Finn Russell while Glasgow clubmate Ali Price returns at scrum-half with Greig Laidlaw required by his club in France.

Edinburgh provide all but two of the starting pack – Jonny Gray and Ryan Wilson are the exceptions – but Glasgow Warriors make up all but one place in the back division, at full-back where Blair Kinghorn plays in place of the injured Stuart Hogg.

There is a surprise on the bench with the uncapped Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham, only promoted from being a training apprentice to a full squad member earlier this week, named as the replacement outside back.

Both Horne brothers, Peter and George, like Ritchie former Howe of Fife players, are on the bench, as is another former Strathallan pupil, Matt Fagerson.

Team: Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh); Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Alex Dunbar, Lee Jones; Adam Hastings, Ali Price; Allan Dell, Stuart McInally (capt), WP Nel; Ben Toolis, Jonny Gray; Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson.

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Alex Allan, Simon Berghan, Grant Gilchrist, Matt Fagerson, George Horne, Pete Horne, Darcy Graham.

Picture: SNS Group. Jamie Ritchie: will win his third cap after appearances against Canada and Argentina.