Smith keeps faith as Scotland Club XV target win in Ireland

Scotland Club international coach Phil Smith has stuck by the bulk of the team that thumped England Counties 57-27 last month for Friday's match against their Irish counterparts in Cork.

Heriot's Jack Turley will line up in the back row

Lewis Carmichael from Melrose earns a first cap in the second-row, with Jack Turley from Heriot’s moving to the back row.

A former Scotland under-20 squad member, Carmichael is a BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy player with Edinburgh.

Smith could also give a new cap off the replacements’ bench as Currie’s Alistair Hamilton is brought in as a loosehead prop.

The Scots will be looking to retain the Dalriada Cup and register two wins in a season for the first time.

Heriot’s coach Smith said: “We have been training well ahead of our fixture against Ireland Club XV. We have a lot of experience in the squad which will be vital come Friday’s game. Ross Curle, as captain, and Fraser Thomson at full-back, have both been involved for a number of seasons and will encourage the squad to secure their second victory to remain unbeaten this year, something which has never been achieved.”

Scotland Club XV team (to play Ireland Club XV at Temple Hill, Cork, on Friday, 7.30pm): F Thomson (Melrose); S Pecquer (Melrose), R Curle (Ayr, capt), B McGroarty (Glasgow Hawks), J Edmunds (Boroughmuir); L Armstrong (Hawick), P Boyer (Glasgow Hawks); G Hunter (Ayr), R Graham (Hawick), N Beavon (Melrose), R McAlpine (Ayr), L Carmichael (Melrose), J Turley (Heriot’s), W Bordill (Ayr), P McCallum (Ayr) Subs: M Liness (Heriot’s), A Hamilton (Heriot’s), J Bhatti (Melrose), R Nimmo (Heriot’s), N Irvine-Hess (Melrose), G Graham (Heriot’s), C Ferguson (Heriot’s), H Elms (Currie).