Scottish Rugby

Image source, SNS

Wing Duhan van der Merwe has been released by Scotland for Edinburgh's URC trip to Leinster on Saturday.

Freddy Douglas and Magnus Bradbury are the two other players in Scotland's Six Nations squad available to Sean Everitt as the South African head coach makes six changes from the team beaten by Bulls last time out.

Malelili Satala takes Darcy Graham's spot, while Props Boan Venter and Paul Hill, hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, and lock Callum Hunter-Hill all come in.

Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D'arcy Rae and Grant Gilchrist are all retained by Scotland, along with Graham.

Liam McConnell misses out with a rib injury picked up against Bulls.

"Going away to Leinster is one of the toughest tests in the URC, but it's a challenge we're ready to embrace – we're going over there to have a real crack at it," Everitt said.

"Magnus resumes the captaincy and his experience in these big away fixtures is invaluable for the group.

"We know exactly what we are capable of when we put it all together. The key for us this week is consistency; we need a complete 80-minute performance to get the result we want."

Edinburgh XV to face Leinster: Paterson, Satala, Goosen, Lang, Van der Merwe, Thompson, Vellacott; Venter, J. Blyth-Lafferty, Hill, Hunter-Hill, Young, Muncaster, Douglas, Bradbury.

Replacements: Morris, Jones, O. Blyth-Lafferty, Dodd, Boyle, Shiel, Scott, O'Conor.

BBC Sport Scotland's Andy Burke has been answering some of your Scottish rugby questions.

Graeme asked: What does success look like for Scotland this year?

Andy answered: Clearly success would be winning the Six Nations for the first time, but there's little evidence to suggest Scotland are capable of finishing top of the pile.

They are probably fourth favourites for the title behind France, England and Ireland, so really the hope is they can perform beyond expectations.

The opener in Rome is fraught with danger and will set the tone for what sort of campaign we can expect.

Away wins over Italy and Wales and knocking over one of England or France at home would be a decent campaign, though not bring the Scotland title challenge the fans crave.

I suspect many Scotland fans would trade another Calcutta Cup win for a victory in Dublin on the final day to finally smash this Ireland hoodoo.

For me, Scotland's potential finishing position would translate as:

1. Glorious

2. Excellent

3. Decent

4. Standard, underwhelming

5. Poor

6. Disaster

My prediction? Another campaign of highs and lows culminating in a fourth-place finish.

David asked: With the rise of the importance of the bench and teams like England putting some of their strongest players on it (Tom Curry and Pollock for example), who would you have as those high-impact players for Scotland? Perhaps a rampaging Jamie Ritchie or could there be a role for a destructive Freddy Douglas?

Andy answered: Gregor Brown is number one on the list. The ferocity he brings to the action is exceptional and we have seen, most notably for Glasgow against Toulouse, how effective his presence can be in the final half hour.

As Brown told us himself on this week's BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast, the game has changed and the impact off the bench is every bit as decisive in games as what the starters are bringing.

I think Douglas could be a good bench option too, especially if Scotland need a disruptor at the breakdown to halt the sort of momentum swing we saw against Argentina in the autumn.

Image source, SNS

Scotland full-back Josh McKay is one of 10 changes to the Glasgow Warriors team that host Munster in the URC on Friday night.

Franco Smith's side are depleted, with 15 key players rested before the impending Six Nations, but there are still six Scotland internationals named in the XV.

As a result, the head coach names a heavily rotated side, full of players itching for competitive minutes.

Bhatti and Murphy Walker keep their place in the front-row from the hard-fought win over Zebre last weekend, with 20-year-old Seb Stephen making just a second start of the season.

Alex Craig and Jare Oguntibeju are named in the locks, with Euan Ferrie, Angus Fraser and Ally Miller in the back-row.

Ben Afshar makes a third start of the season at nine, with Dan Lancaster ooutside him. Youngster Kerr Yule and captain Stafford McDowall start in the centre.

Ollie Smith and Kyle Rowe have both been released from Scotland camp to start on the wings, with McKay returning at full-back. The New Zealander has been out since early December with injury.

On the bench, there could be debuts for second-row Dylan Cockburn and fly-half Matthew Urwin, both former Under-20 internationals.

Johnny Matthews, Alex Samuel and Patrick Schickerling are unavailable through injury.

Glasgow Warriors: McKay, Rowe, McDowall (c), Yule, Smith; Lancaster, Afshar; Bhatti, Stephen, Walker, Craig, Oguntibeju, Ferrie, Fraser, Miller.

Replacements: Stewart, McBeth, Talakai, Cockburn, Vailanu, Duncan, Oliver, Urwin.

In our build up to Scotland's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome, Tom English and Andy Burke chat to Kyle Steyn about competition on Scotland's wing and how to regain the trust of Scotland fans.

We hear from Huw Jones on his journey back from injury and his decision to leave the Warriors and Josh Bayliss chats about the competition to play in Scotland's back row.

Plus we hear from new father Matt Fagerson on the physical and mental demands of preparing for the competition, Pierre Schoeman on why he loves being around other props and Gregor Brown applies the Traitors process to the Scotland squad.

Listen and subscribe to the Scotland Rugby Podcast here

Image source, SNS

Captain Sione Tuipulotu wants Scotland to use their autumn "hurt" to fuel a successful Six Nations campaign.

Gregor Townsend's side ran New Zealand close before blowing a 21-0 lead to lose at home to Argentina.

"We're not short of motivation, that's for sure," said Tuipulotu. "And I think it's important that we carry a little bit of the hurt from the autumn into the Six Nations because it's important not to just pass it by and act like it didn't happen.

"It's important that we show progression in this tournament, not only from the autumn, but from the last Six Nations as well.

"As captain, it's my responsibility to lead that, and I'm looking forward to doing that."

Tuipulotu was one of 19 Glasgow players named in Gregor Townsend's initial 40-man squad for the championship and he believes the Warriors' excellent recent form, particularly in the Champions Cup, can give Scotland a boost.

"It is significant, and the combinations and cohesion that we have on the field that we can bring to the Scottish environment is important," he said of the Glasgow contingent.

"But I think it's also important how we mesh with the other boys. Test rugby is a lot different to club rugby. It would be stupid for us to think that because Glasgow beat Toulouse, we're favoured to beat France or anything like that.­

"But it does give us confidence and it's important that boys that have played big roles in those wins that we've had between autumn and the Six Nations, they bring that confidence into the Test arena."

Sandy Smith
Fan writer

Burns night was celebrated at the Hive on Friday night. There was a pipe band and some Scottish country dancers. There was also something wee and tim'rous.

Unfortunately the wee was Edinburgh's entries into the Bulls half after the interval, never mind their 22, and the tim'rous, well I'm sure you can guess.

It started well. Actually, scrub that. It started like it does far too often with a pre-match injury as Ewan Ashman was replaced before kick-off.

That is the fourth time this season that our line-up has been changed prior to kick-off as a result of a late injury. There were six instances of the same thing last season.

Then it got a bit better.

At 10-5 up we had a chance to go two scores clear but went for the tap and go and failed to get across the line.

Every game we have played against Bulls has been settled by 11 points or less, so not taking the three at this juncture felt like a mistake.

However, we scored a further try, D'arcy Rae's first for the club, and had a 12-point lead at half-time, so there was hope, maybe even a little expectation.

Alas, Bulls dominated the second half right from kick-off. And from anticipating a fourth try and a bonus point, reality bit down hard.

Edinburgh failed to score a single point in the second half and as the match progressed the outcome seemed to become an inevitability. It felt like it was only a matter of when, rather than if, the Bulls would snatch the points.

The crowd was unusually flat throughout and only came alive in the last 10 minutes, perhaps sensing we were only a mistimed tackle or an offside away from a penalty that would have won us the game.

However, we repeatedly ran up blind alleys, kicked the ball away and palpably demonstrated the malfunctioning attack that has blighted the entire season.

Last week I was angry. This week it barely registered. It did, however, register with the bulk of the decent sized crowd as the boos on full-time were quite apparent.

Maybe there will be an easy game next week to lift the gloom? Leinster you say? Away? Where we haven't won since 2005?

As Burns once said: "The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley".

Sandy Smith can be found at The Burgh Watch, external

Grant Young
Fan writer

How a week can change. It's weird to write that after your team wins on the road and then goes to the top of the URC.

A week on from a Globetrotters-like performance in the Champions Cup, to a wet and miserable evening in Parma. Glasgow did get the job done but majorly underperformed.

From the start the passes weren't crisp, the tackles didn't stick and Franco Smith cut a frustrated figure in the stands.

With the exception of the reverse fixture a few weeks back, this first group of Warriors had played a lot of rugby back to back.

Zebre played close to the line and the usual piercing attack from the free-flowing backs was inefficient. The Warriors, though, got scores through their lineout. The set-piece got them the field position and the pack went to work.

With only a week or so until the first line-ups for the Six Nations are announced, Gregor Hiddleston scoring two important tries on a disappointing night was the real talking point.

Surely we will see him at some point as Scotland's hooker? The 23-year-old continues to impress both in the loose and the scrum. Surely his time is soon.

The game did have one of those feelings that Zebre could pinch this, thankfully they didn't. It is tough to win on the road in the URC, but this squad wouldn't want to be the first to lose in Parma in the match-up history and limped home with a five-point win.

On Friday we see Munster at home. After announcing a surprisingly strong team last week, this week's squad is expected to be rotated heavily with anyone likely in the Scotland 23 rested and wrapped in cotton wool.

It's a big opportunity for some younger players to stand up and be counted. There are few games more exciting than welcoming Munster to Scotstoun. Hopefully Glasgow can stay top of the standings come the start of the Six Nations.

Image source, PA Media

Glasgow Warriors hooker Gregor Hiddleston and Sale Sharks scrum-half Gus Warr have been added to Scotland's Six Nations squad.

Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry and Glasgow back Jamie Dobie remain with the squad while they recover from recent injuries, while flanker Liam McConnell has returned to Edinburgh following a rib issue.

Hiddleston is uncapped at senior level while Warr made his only two Scotland appearances so far in 2024, scoring two tries on his debut against Canada.

The Scots open their championship away to Italy on 7 February.

Do you have any burning questions on Scottish rugby for our experts, Tom English and Andy Burke, after Edinburgh lost and Glasgow Warriors won in the URC?

Or perhaps you want to focus on the Six Nations as Scotland's opener in Rome moves ever closer?

Send in your questions via this link and a selection of answers will be published on this page later in the week.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Head coach Gregor Townsend says the fine form of Glasgow Warriors can provide a platform for Scotland to enjoy a positive Six Nations.

Franco Smith's side are on an eight-game winning run in all competitions, which has included a perfect Champions Cup pool stage with statement wins over the likes of Toulouse and Saracens.

Townsend selected 19 Glasgow players in his 40-man squad for the tournament, and says those established combinations will be key for the national side.

"I think it can shortcut a few things and that if you have Glasgow players playing together, you don't have to over-coach, you can build on what they are doing," Townsend said.

"In terms of coaching, they're going to find solutions to certain problems because they've been together for the last few weeks.

"So that's in our mind about how many of those combinations we put together in the team. Now we've also had a team that's played a lot of rugby together as well and we're selecting from a position of strength in terms of injuries with Huw Jones back in the squad and Zander Fagerson, who missed most of the autumn.

"So players that have played a lot of rugby for us, they should just fit in back in a groove too. Certainly the cohesion, the confidence that Glasgow have shown, we want to lean into that and build on what they've done."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Bulls power wins the day

Edinburgh built a great platform to win this game, but after going in 17-5 up at the break, they failed to exist as an attacking force.

Part of that was self-inflicted, with a poor kicking strategy constantly inviting pressure.

The power of the Bulls was the decisive factor, though. The South Africans ramped up the physicality in the second half and Edinburgh just could not live with it.

The scrum started to creak and leak penalties, the battle at the gain-line became a losing one and Edinburgh just could not break out of their own half.

A mountain to climb

This was a damaging defeat for Edinburgh's ambitions of reaching the URC play-offs.

They went into the 10th round of fixtures in 10th place and ended it in 12th. When you consider their next assignment is in Dublin away to Leinster, their position is starting to look perilous.

Edinburgh picked up form just in the nick of time to sneak into the top eight at the death last season. They may need to embark on an even better run to get there this time.

Momentum still proves elusive

This was Edinburgh's fifth defeat in their last seven matches, and it's been impossible for Sean Everitt's side to generate any sort of momentum this season.

The hope was the thrilling Champions Cup victory over Toulon would be the spark to ignite their campaign, but a combination of injuries and questionable squad rotation has seen Edinburgh stall in recent weeks.

The heavy away defeats to Castres and Bath were not terminal to their European hopes - they still qualified for the last 16 - but they will have been damaging to the confidence of the side, as would the poor displays in the derby double-header against Glasgow.

We know how good Edinburgh can be at their best, but we see their best far too infrequently.

We asked for your views on Edinburgh's home defeat by Bulls and Glasgow's bonus-point victory over Zebre in Parma.

Edinburgh fans

Kenny: If we're playing Ross Thompson at 10 then we need to find someone else to kick points. While his distribution is good, his kicking for points or to touch is not. Too many missed conversions and an inability to keep the scoreboard ticking over with penalties is costing Edinburgh games.

Elliot: That's four games lost already this season from a winning position and of the ones we won we are hanging on for dear life at the end. But this is seemingly acceptable and we have two more season to endure. When will someone decide enough is enough?

Chris: Edinburgh once again proving they are a team that can lose from anywhere. If they had a 100-0 lead, they would somehow contrive to lose 100-101.

Euan: Where did Edinburgh go in the second half?

Glasgow fans

Tom: After the highs of the last two months, take the five points and move on. The next three games against Munster, Connacht and Leinster will be huge for URC seeding without our Scotland stars. The type of games where Henco Venter and Seb Cancelliere would have come to the fold, let's see what this squad is all about.

Andrew: Glasgow continue to show that Franco Smith is the only one of three Scottish coaches with legitimacy to still be in charge. Gregor Townsend and Sean Everitt keep their jobs despite incompetence and/or sheer hubris, take your pick.

Graeme: The Warriors are everything Edinburgh aren't and are looking like having a season to remember. I just hope the SRU have told Franco he's got the Scotland job when Toony goes. However that means finding someone as good to pick up the reins with Glasgow.

Glasgow Warriors moved to the top of the URC table after a hard-fought bonus-point victory over Zebre in Parma.

Read the report

Have your say

Image source, SNS

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith tells Premier Sports: "It's always excellent to win here.

"It wasn't pretty tonight, Zebre put up a big fight and never went away.

"Compliments to them and their coaching group. We put them under pressure in several areas of the game, but at the set-piece specifically."

Image source, Getty Images

Gwalia Lightning ran in seven tries as they swept to a 43-7 victory over Edinburgh in the Celtic Challenge.

In a tight first half at Hive Stadium, prop Maisie Davies crossed twice for the visitors either side of an Edinburgh penalty try.

It was a totally one-sided contest after the break though as the Welsh outfit asserted control.

Tries from Bryonie King, Sian Jones, Catherine Richards and a double for Lily Terry ensured a comprehensive Gwalia win.

They have won four of their five matches in the competition, while Edinburgh have tasted victory just once.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Grant Gilchrist says Edinburgh will have to "do it the hard way" to reach the URC play-offs this season.

Sean Everitt's side went down 19-17 to the Bulls at Hive Stadium on Friday night to leave them 11th in the table, with a trip to Dublin next up to face Leinster.

Having led 17-5 at half-time, Gilchrist says defeat to the South Africans was tough to take.

"That one hurt, just for the position we were in," the Scotland lock told BBC Scotland.

"We spent the whole second half in our own half. There's probably a few reasons for that, a couple at set-piece. Our kicking game, our chasing game could have been better.

"Even when we did do two or three things well, we got up to halfway, we then invited pressure back down and we just spent the whole second half down our end.

"We were massively frustrated, because where we put ourselves in the game, we had to come out in the second half and we knew the challenge that lay ahead of us.

"If we started the second half well, we could pull away from them, because when we had possession in their half, we looked like we were going to score every time. We just couldn't get any of that possession in the second half.

"It's bitterly disappointing because we saw the last two results in the league and this was an opportunity to put ourselves back in there.

"Now we're going to have to do it the hard way and there's no excuses. We've got to knuckle down and go to work every week.

"We did it last year, we can do it again."