Scotland
John Barclay to make first Scotland start since 2013 vs. Italy
PA Sport
August 27, 2015
© TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/GettyImages

John Barclay will make his first Scotland start since November 2013 after being named in the team to face Italy in Saturday's third Rugby World Cup warm-up clash at Murrayfield.

The Scarlets back-row forward went overlooked for more than 18 months before being recalled by Vern Cotter for this month's Test with Ireland in Dublin, where he featured as a second-half substitute.

But he will now make his return to the Dark Blues starting XV after Cotter announced wholesale changes to the side which beat the Azzurri in Turin last weekend.

Saturday's Test in Edinburgh is the Scotland support's last chance to get behind their team on home soil before they depart for next month's World Cup kick-off in England and a record summer crowd is expected.

Sean Lamont is the only player to return from the starting team that won 16-12 last weekend.

The 95-times capped Glasgow Warriors wing starts a third straight summer Test, having been brought back into the squad as a replacement for Tommy Seymour who has back pain.

Lock Grant Gilchrist would have also been set for his third start this summer had sickness not ruled him out of last weekend's game on the morning of the match, however the Alloa man is back alongside Jonny Gray to reunite a combination that first, and last, took the field together on the 2014 summer tour.

In the front-row, Edinburgh trio Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and Willem Nel start the match after their impressive replacement appearance against Italy, with Barclay, David Denton and Ryan Wilson completing the pack.

In the back three, mainstay Lamont is joined by full-back Stuart Hogg and Harlequins wing Tim Visser. Glasgow's Peter Horne starts alongside club-mate Mark Bennett in midfield, while Finn Russell and captain Greig Laidlaw will look to orchestrate proceedings at half-back.

Cotter said: "It's a good indication of our growing quality and depth that we're able to pitch another quite different, yet talented, side into battle this Saturday.

"Many of these players have worked hard all summer long and have had to wait patiently on the sidelines for this opportunity.

"They're keen to pull on the jersey, get out there, and put in a strong performance as part of a successful Scotland team."

© PA Sport

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