Scrum-half Alex Black (Leeds Carnegie) returns to the starting line up which sees Caithness scrum-half Kris Hamilton return to the bench.

So far this season’s under-20 squad have registered two historic under-20 achievements, the first in front of almost 3000 vocal supporters in Inverness who backed them to the hilt as they battled back from conceding an early score to draw 8-8 with France (the first under-20 side not to lose to les Bleus).

The under-20s then bounced back from a 20-12 loss to Wales at Cardiff Arms Park and secured the first away victory for Scotland at this age-grade with a dramatic 16-18 victory over Italy in front of a 4000-strong Sardinian crowd.

Head coach Eamon John: “We make the selection according to the opposition. We wanted to start quickly against Italy which is why we went with Kris [Hamilton] but from an English point of view we need a bit more physicality at the start.

“England will be smarting over their Ireland result [they lost 10-25 at Kingsholm] and have had a mixed campaign with a variety of players available at different times in the competition but when they have their top players on the field like they did against Wales they ran in five second-half tries.

“Any team in any sport is always beatable. It’s up to us to get it right. We respect England who will have players with under-20 World Cup final experience – but we’re going to go out there to do a job on them and make life uncomfortable in Glasgow.

“I hope we get a good support at the Scotland v England game – the support we’ve had so far has been fantastic and I’m looking forward to playing in front of a big, noisy and patriotic crowd”

SCOTLAND TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND, Firhill Stadium, Glasgow, Friday 12 March (kick-off 7pm)

15 Tom Brown (Edinburgh Accies)*

14 Oliver Grove (Worcester Warriors)
13 Jonny Kennedy (Sale Sharks)
12 Alex Dunbar (Selkirk)*
11 Dougie Fife (Currie)**

10 Alex Blair (Edinburgh Accies)*
9 Alex Black (Leeds Carnegie)

1 Nicky Little (Hawick)*
2 Alun Walker (Currie)
3 Colin Phillips (Stewart’s Melville)**
4 Matthew Reid (Heriot’s)
5 Robert Harley (West of Scotland)*
6 Michael Maltman (Heriot’s)**
8 Stuart McInally CAPTAIN (Watsonians)*
7 David Denton (Edinburgh Accies)*

Replacements
16 Lindsey Gibson (Melrose)
17 George Hunter (Glasgow Hawks)
18 Aaron Hall (Newcastle Falcons)
19 Callum Stidston-Nott (London Scottish)
20 Kris Hamilton (Caithness)**
21 Matthew Scott (Currie)**
22 James Johnstone (Currie)*

* Denotes a member of the Scottish National Contracted Academy
** Denotes a member of the Scottish Rugby National Academy supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport

Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
Assistant referee: Alan Rogan (IRFU)
Assistant referee: Jude Quinn (IRFU)

SCOTLAND UNDER-20 6 NATIONS SCHEDULE
Friday 5 February – Scotland under-20 8-8 France under-20, Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
Friday 12 February – Wales under-20 20-12 Scotland under-20, Cardiff Arms Park
Friday 26 February – Italy under-20 16-18 Scotland under-20, Capoterra, Sardinia
Friday 12 March – Scotland under-20 v England (Firhill, kick-off 7pm)
Friday 19 March – Ireland under-20 v Scotland under-20 (Dubarry Park, Athlone, Ireland, kick-off 7.35pm)