Scotland Name Bold Starting XV for Six Nations Showdown With Italy in Rome as Dobie Earns First Start

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made several eyebrow-raising selections for Saturday's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome, most notably omitting the nation's two all-time leading try scorers from his starting XV. Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham have both been left out of the lineup, with Jamie Dobie earning his first Six Nations start on the left wing alongside Kyle Steyn on the right and Tom Jordan at fullback.

The bold team selection sees captain Sione Tuipulotu partnering with Huw Jones in the center, while Finn Russell returns at fly-half after missing the final autumn international. The backline reshuffling represents a significant gamble for Townsend, who is clearly looking to inject fresh energy into the side while managing his squad across the tournament. Tom Jordan's selection at fullback comes at the expense of Blair Kinghorn, another player with significant international experience.

Up front, Scotland will field a formidable pack led by the front row of Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, and Zander Fagerson. The second row features Scott Cummings and Grant Gilchrist, while the back row consists of Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, and Jack Dempsey. This forward unit will be crucial in Rome, where Scotland have historically struggled despite recent success at Murrayfield.

Scotland enter the match as clear favorites at 5-16 with most bookmakers, but the Azzurri proved dangerous in Rome two years ago when they secured a stunning 31-29 victory. Italy will be seeking to replicate that performance with three of their stalwarts set to reach 50 caps for the national team. The home side's selection includes Leonardo Marin at fullback, and head coach Gonzalo Quesada has named several uncapped players in his wider squad.

The match kicks off at 2:10pm GMT at Stadio Olimpico and will be broadcast live on BBC One. Scotland will be looking to build on their 31-19 victory over Italy at Murrayfield during the 2025 Championship, a match in which Huw Jones scored a hat-trick of tries. However, the eight-point handicap suggests bookmakers expect a much tighter contest in Rome, where the atmosphere and passionate home support traditionally make life difficult for visiting teams.

Townsend's selection strategy appears designed to manage player workload across what will be a grueling tournament campaign while also testing squad depth ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The decision to rest Van der Merwe and Graham, who have combined for over 70 international tries, demonstrates the coach's confidence in his wider playing pool and his willingness to rotate key personnel even in crucial opening fixtures.