Scotland change four for ‘biggest game of season’ with England

Scotland’s «biggest game of the season» against England at Murrayfield is «even more important» after a dismal opening loss to Italy, says Gregor Townsend.

The head coach has made four changes for his 100th match in charge of the national side as he seeks to maintain an excellent Six Nations record against Saturday’s opponents.

Hooker Ewan Ashman, loosehead Pierre Schoeman, lock Grant Gilchrist and back-rower Matt Fagerson drop out from the side that were beaten 18-15 in rain-soaked Rome.

In come George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Gregor Brown and Jamie Ritchie.

Townsend sticks with the same back-line, meaning there is no place in the XV for British & Irish Lions trio Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe.

Wing Graham is on the bench as part of a 5-3 split, with Kinghorn and record try-scorer Van der Merwe again omitted from the squad.

«It’s huge,» Townsend said of his ninth Calcutta Cup match as head coach. «It’s our biggest game of the season and it always has been.

«It’s even more important on the back of a disappointing defeat.

«We know our supporters are behind us, as they always are, and we’ll need their energy.»

Townsend has five wins and a draw from his previous eight meetings with England, with Scotland losing out by a single point in London last year.

There are no Edinburgh players in the starting XV, while 10 come from United Rugby Championship leaders Glasgow Warriors.

Seven of Van der Merwe’s 35 Scotland tries have come against England, including a hat-trick the last time they met at Murrayfield in 2024.

«There are reasons we selected that backline and bench going into Italy and it’s the same reasons going into England,» explained Townsend.

«We weren’t able to play as well as a backline given the weather and opportunities at the start of the game.

«What the back three did in the kicking battle was excellent and how they have been training is superb so we’ve backed them again this week.»

Adam Hastings was an unused substitute against Italy and Townsend was quizzed about going for the same bench split.

«Adam covers 10, so it’s someone we know can focus on that role during the week and he has been playing very well,» he said.

«There are gambles going 6-2 with limited cover. We think the weather is going to be dry so there is more opportunity for backs coming on to have an influence.

«You go into the game with expectations of using the bench but if you don’t need to – if players are playing well and there are no injuries – then at times people don’t come off the pitch.»

England started the tournament by thumping Wales 48-7 at Twickenham, making it 12 successive Test victories.

Andy Burke, BBC Sport Scotland

After that dismal display in Rome, Townsend was always going to have some tough decisions to make.

There might have been a temptation to recall Van der Merwe, who has such a wonderful personal record against England.

The under-fire head coach has instead shown faith in the back three of Kyle Steyn, Jamie Dobie and Tom Jordan, who struggled individually and collectively at the Stadio Olimpico.

Ritchie should bring some edge that was sorely missing against Italy and his ability in the air will be vital in a match that could be won and lost in that area.

Sticking with a 5-3 bench split is a surprise. It proved to be a mistake last weekend and seeing the firepower England will be bringing on late in the game, it looks like a gamble yet again.

Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Millar-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horne, Hastings, Graham.