Toony Names Team To Face France

THIS MORNING'S announcement of the Scotland team to face FRANCE, in Nice on Saturday, is the best indication yet of the imminence of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Scotland's opening match, against Ireland, is a mere five weeks away – with four warm-up games within that period. It is time to get the game faces on.

I suppose the big talking point about the team will be the potential first caps, off the bench, for Glasgow Warriors' SCOTT CUMMINGS, and Northampton's RORY HUTCHISON. Other than that, this match looks like being Gregor Townsend's first sort-out of his pack. But, with a further three matches before we leave for Japan, and the potential for injury being ever-present, I am not reading too-much into the selection, which (in this blog's normal 1-23 order) is:

1. Jamie Bhatti (Edinburgh)
   
   
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh, Captain)
   
   
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)
   
   
4. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh)
   
   
5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh)
   
   
6. John Barclay (Edinburgh)
   
   
7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)
   
   
8. Josh Strauss (Blue Bulls)
   
   
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
   
   
10. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
11. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks
    
    
12. Duncan Taylor (Saracens)
    
    
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh)
    
    
15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs)
    
    




Replacements:

16. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
17. Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls)
    
    
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
20. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
    
    
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors
    
    
22. Rory Hutchison (Northampton Saints)
    
    
23. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)
    
    

With seven Edinburgh men in the starting pack, there will be an element of cohesion up front, while the rugby nations of Hawick will be particularly pleased to see Darcy Graham and Stuart Hogg playing together for the first time.

It is cheering too, to see Duncan Taylor back in action after his long absence, and it will be interesting to see him and Huw Jones in concert in the midfield.

The match will be live on Premier Sports TV, so get your subscription bought, I doubt if anyone will be able toavoid finding out the result, before they replay it on their free channel, Free Sports TV, on Monday morning.