Former Munster outhalf Ben Healy will make his World Cup debut in Scotland’s Pool B clash against Romania in Lille on Saturday.
The 24-year-old played no part in the opening pool games against South Africa and Tonga, but the Tipperary man will be one of 13 changes made by head coach Gregor Townsend for the game against the Pool B minnows. Finn Russell played 80 minutes in Scotland’s pool games to date.
Prop Javan Sebastian will make his first start for Scotland and is part of an entirely new forward pack. He will have fellow prop Jamie Bhatti and hooker Ewan Ashman in the frontrow, ahead of locks Sam Skinner and Grant Gilchrist, who takes over the captaincy from Jamie Ritchie.
Flanker Hamish Watson makes his first appearance of the tournament in the backrow with Luke Crosbie and number eight Matt Fagerson, while Healy will be joined at halfback by scrumhalf Ali Price.
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Cameron Redpath and Chris Harris, who played in the 45-17 win over Tonga last Sunday, are the midfield duo, with fullback Ollie Smith and wings Darcy Graham and Kyle Steyn the back three. The latter was also a starter against the Pacific Islanders.
Remarking on his selection, Townsend said: “There are players who deserve the opportunity to play at this World Cup. They have been training really well, so this is the right time to give them this opportunity.
“With a six-day turnaround [after the victory over Tonga], we also want to keep players as fresh as possible.”
Scrumhalf Ali Price and Ben Healy are the halfback pairing, while Cameron Redpath and Chris Harris, who played in the 45-17 win over Tonga last Sunday, are the midfield duo.
Redpath follows in the footsteps of his father Bryan in starting at a World Cup, the latter a former scrumhalf and long-time Scotland team-mate of Townsend.
“Cam did well off the bench against South Africa and the way he has trained this week deserves his chance. Starting in a World Cup is a special achievement,” Townsend said.
Fullback Ollie Smith and wings Darcy Graham and Kyle Steyn make up the back three. The latter was also a starter against the Pacific Islanders.
“There are players who deserve the opportunity to play at this World Cup. They have been training really well, so this is the right time to give them this opportunity,” Townsend said.
“With a six day turnaround (after the victory over Tonga), we also want to keep players as fresh as possible.”
Should Scotland win as expected, they will go into a Paris showdown with Ireland in their final pool game on October 7th with a fighting chance of reaching the knock-out stages.
SCOTLAND (v Romania): Ollie Smith; Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Cameron Redpath, Kyle Steyn; Ben Healy, Ali Price; Jamie Bhatti, Ewan Ashman, Javan Sebastian; Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist (capt); Luke Crosbie, Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Rory Sutherland, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Rory Darge, George Horne, Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones.
