Kenny Murray, as expected, named his strongest starting 15 for Friday night’s World Under-20 Trophy Pool A final against Japan – the same 15 he used in the 123-15 first-match win over Samoa.
Murray was not impressed with winger and vice-captain David Brock, who led the team to a 101-0 victory over Hong Kong China last Sunday. Jordy Gwynne He couldn’t play in the game because of an injury.
The head coach said that both players number 8 and number 9 Johnny Morris Winger Rudo Kolade An injury ruled him out for the remainder of the tournament and his place in the team shifted to Edinburgh. Ollie Duncan Glasgow Carr Johnston But Gün returned to the game and brothers Bryce and Lafferty both started in the front row. Tom Curry Return to the back row.
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“In the first game, we went in with what we thought was the best team,” Murray said. “We wanted to give them a chance. [in the second match]This game is obviously going to be a very tough one so we’re going to come back with what we think is the stronger team.
“Japan are playing well and have dominated the other two teams in the group, just like us. They may have stumbled a bit early on against Samoa, they were leading 27-10 at halftime and scored about 50 points in the second half. [winning 81-7].
“So we know they’re a team that finishes well, but we’ve been playing well ourselves too.”
Japan beat Hong Kong 105-20 and then beat Samoa by a wide margin, leaving them with 10 match points, just like Scotland.
But Murray’s team has a 50-point lead on point difference, which could be decisive if Friday’s match ends in a draw with both teams having the same number of match points.
The winner of that match will advance to Wednesday’s final to face the winner of Pool B, with a berth at next year’s world championships being the biggest prize.
The U.S. currently sits three points behind the Netherlands in Pool B and will face pointless Kenya on Friday.
Scotland U-20 (vs Japan U20, Hibs, Friday 7.45pm): F Watson, F Doyle, J Bentisay, F Thomson, G Gwynne, A McLean, C McAlpine, R Dean, J Bryce Lafferty, O Bryce Lafferty, E McVeigh, R Burke, L McConnell (captain), F Douglas, T Currie. Substitutions: S Stephen, B White, C Norrie, R Hart, D Cockburn, H Patterson, K Yule, J Hocking.