Five Glasgow academy talents selected for Scotland U20 opener

MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND - JUNE 30: Kerr Yule (R) during a Scotland Under-20 training session at Ravenscraig Sport Facility, on June 30, 2023, in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Ayrshire Bulls scrum-half and 2022/23 academy graduate Ben Afshar will co-captain a side led by Head Coach Kenny Murray, with the match the first of four fixtures in the tournament.

An all-Glasgow academy centre partnership sees Kerr Yule start at inside centre after a series of standout performances in the FOSROC Super Series Sprint, with Ben Salmon lining up outside him after impressing for Glasgow Warriors A.

Callum Norrie starts at tight-head after making his comeback from injury in the pre-tournament warm-up victory over Spain, the Stirling Wolves prop the only Glasgow academy talent selected in the starting pack.

Club-mate Ruaraidh Hart is named on the bench, the former Glasgow Hawk offering reinforcements to the engine room from the number 19 jersey.

Jonny Morris completes the Glasgow academy contingent, as the GHA product covers the back-row from the replacements.

Head Coach Kenny Murray said: “Now that we’ve arrived in Nairobi, we are really looking forward to kicking off the tournament.

“We have four exciting matches ahead of us, all of which pose their own challenges and opportunities.

“Zimbabwe will be a tough opponent. They’re coming off the back of a very impressive win against Kenya in the Rugby Africa Barthés U20 Trophy in April, so they’ll be wanting to continue this form going into the tournament.

“We took many learnings away from our match against Spain last month – both positives and things we needed to improve on. The guys have been training and preparing well, but we must put this into practice to get a good result.”