Seventy-seven-cap second-row Jonny Gray has been named in the starting XV in his first Test appearance since March 2023 - a year in which he missed the World Cup due to a knee injury.
Dave Cherry, 34, has been named as Scotland's starting hooker. Cherry last played for Scotland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup opener against eventual winners South Africa in Marseille but was withdrawn from the squad shortly after suffering a concussion in a fall at the team hotel.
Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson are he starting props. Grant Gilchrist joins Gray in the second row. Jamie Ritchie, Matt Fagerson, and co-captain Rory Darge complete the back row.
Toulon’s Ben White has been named by Townsend as the starting scrum-half, with Bath and Scotland talisman Finn Russell starting at fly-half and also named as co-captain. In the absence of Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu, who picked up a muscular injury while training with Glasgow a fortnight ago, Glasgow teammate Stafford McDowall replaces him at inside centre, partnering Huw Jones in midfield.
The battle for Scotland’s try-scoring record will resume in the opening round of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations, with Duhan van der Merwe (30) and Darcy Graham (29) named as the starting wingers to take on Italy. Van der Merwe finished the 2024 edition of the Championship as the joint-top try-scorer with five, alongside Ireland’s Dan Sheehan. He also finished 2024 as the outright top try-scorer for any men’s Tier 1 nation, with nine.
Toulouse star Blair Kinghorn will start at fullback, completing the starting XV to face Italy.
Townsend has opted for a 5-3 split on the bench. Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, and Will Hurd provide front-row cover, while Gregor Brown and Jack Dempsey are named as back-five replacements. George Horne, Tom Jordan, and Kyle Rowe are available as back-line options.
Scotland team to face Italy on Saturday, 1 February 2025
15. Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (55)
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (42)
13. Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (53)
12. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (8)
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (44)
10. Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (82) CO-CAPTAIN
9. Ben White – Toulon (24)
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (37)
2. Dave Cherry – Edinburgh Rugby (11)
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (70)
4. Jonny Gray – Bordeaux Bègles (77)
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (75)
6. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (54)
7. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (25) CO-CAPTAIN
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (50)
Replacements
16. Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (22)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (37)
18. Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (4)
19. Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (4)
20. Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (22)
21. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (34)
22. Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (3)
23. Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (9)
