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Four Warriors Academy players set for Scotland U20 play-off clash

10 Jul 2026

Four Glasgow Warriors Senior Academy players have been selected as Scotland U20 enter the play-off rounds of the 2026 World Rugby Junior World Championship this weekend.

Scotland face Argentina on Sunday afternoon in the 5th-8th place play-offs, knowing an eighth-place finish is the lowest they can achieve after an impressive pool stage in Tbilisi.

Leading the side once again is Glasgow Warriors hooker Joe Roberts, who captains Scotland from the front after starting all three Championship fixtures to date.

Roberts is joined in the starting pack by Dan Halkon, with the second-row also having featured from the start in every match of the tournament.

Alex Bryden moves from the replacements bench to line up at inside centre after making an impact in Scotland’s opening three fixtures and completing the Glasgow contingent is Ollie McKenna, who will provide loose-head prop cover.

Fergus Pringle’s side finished runners-up in Pool B following victories over Italy and Japan, before producing a spirited display against New Zealand.

The Scots remain in contention to equal their best-ever finish at a World Rugby Junior World Championship, having placed fifth in 2017.

Scotland U20 team to play Argentina in the 2026 World Rugby Junior Championship on Sunday 12 July at the AIA Arena, Kutaisi, Georgia (kick-off 3pm BST): Live on Rugby Pass TV.

1. Will Pearce

2. Joe Roberts

3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty

4. Christian Lindsay

5. Dan Halkon

6. Sam Byrd

7. Harvey Preston

8. Oliver Finlayson-Russell

9. Hamish Macarthur

10. Jake Dalziel

11. Nairn Moncrieff

12. Alex Bryden