Young Scots know they face tough test against old foes

Scotland face defending champions England tonight at Firhill in the Six Nations Under-20 Championship knowing that for many of the team the step up from amateur club level to playing against a side drawn from the Premiership academies will be considerable.

It is, of course, a problem the Scots face on an annual basis, but Scotland showed last June in the Junior World Cup that their players can adapt to higher demands by giving a good account of themselves in their pool matches against England, South African and Ireland, albeit with defeat the outcome each time.

England went on to reach the final where they came close to defeating the all-conquering Junior All Blacks. Eight of that England side will be in the starting line-up tonight, alongside a fresh crop of graduates from last season’s under-18 team. England under-20 coach Rob Hunter, the former London Scottish and Scotland B lock, appreciates the talent at his disposal. He said: “We have a good blend of experience and fresh faces. There are a lot of new lads, but a few older heads, too. The likes of Matt Kvesic, Elliot Daly and Dan Robson all have Six Nations experience and it’s important to utilise that for the benefit of the team.

The challenge for Scotland coach Peter Wright is to convince amateur club players that they can step up to this level. Wright knows what England will try to do in the early stages. He said: “They will try to smash us up front, run through us and round us. But a lot of our players experienced a win over England last season when they played for the under-18s.” These include centre Tommy Allan, nephew of former Scotland hooker John Allan, who turned down an offer to play in Scotland and opted instead for Western Province in his native South Africa.

Entry to the match is free.