Gregor Townsend has picked London Irish scrum-half Ben White ahead of the vastly more experienced Ali Price in his starting line-up to face England at Twickenham in the opening game of the Six Nations tomorrow.
Scotland’s regular No.9 Price has not even made it on to the bench for the Caluctta Cup showdown – but coach Townsend backed him to bounce back strongly.
Price, 29, has been a mainstay throughout Townsend’s five-and-a-half-year reign, winning 58 caps since his debut in 2016, but has struggled for form at Glasgow.
The head coach said: ‘Ali and I have worked together for a number of years and he has been very good for us over that period.
‘We chatted a week ago about how it was important he improved, whether that was just through training or getting game time with Glasgow. He’s very aware of that, too – he did play well at the weekend.
‘Non-selection can motivate you in two ways. It can get you more disappointed or it can give you a reaction – but we’re already seeing that reaction from Ali and I’m sure he’ll be back to his best very soon.’
Townsend’s decision to drop Price (right) was aided by the impressive form of White. He said: ‘We have gone for players in really good form. Ben’s been really consistent ever since he came into our squad. He’s started the majority of games for London Irish this year.
‘His kicking game is outstanding, he’s very competitive and he’s grown in confidence, so there’s someone in form who can play the game we want to play.’
Price is one of four members of the 2021 British and Irish Lions squad who have failed to make Townsend’s starting XV, with Gloucester centre Chris Harris dropping to the bench and Glasgow prop Zander Fagerson and Edinburgh flanker Hamish Watson missing out on fitness grounds.
Scotland team:
Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, van der Merwe, Russel, White, Schoeman, Turner, Nel, R Gray, Gilchrist, Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, Fagerson
Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Berghan, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris
Glasgow’s Huw Jones has got the nod over Harris at centre, while 36-year-old prop WP Nel is in ahead of Fagerson, who has been out since December with a hamstring injury.
Flanker Luke Crosbie will win his third cap in place of Edinburgh team-mate Watson, who returned last weekend after being sidelined since November by concussion.
Townsend said: ‘Huw has played well in some of the biggest fixtures we’ve played over the years but it’s down to his form over the last three or four games (for Glasgow).
‘We know we’ve got a brilliant player in Chris Harris on the bench but we want to back Huw in this game.’
‘Zander started training fully from the middle of last week but we feel this game has just come a few days too early for him. WP still playing well in his mid-30s is a bonus. To see him play so well for Edinburgh against Saracens recently and play 80 minutes shows he’s possibly in the best shape he’s been in in years.
‘Hamish played well last week but it’s a big step up to have missed two and a half months and go from that right into a Calcutta Cup game. Luke has been excellent this season and he’s earned the opportunity to start.’
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