Taylor back as Scotland name team for World Cup warm-up in France

Taylor back as Scotland name team for World Cup warm-up in France
FILE PHOTO: Britain Rugby Union - Exeter Chiefs v Saracens - Aviva Premiership Semi Final - Sandy Park - 20/5/17 Duncan Taylor of Saracens in action with Phil Dollman of Exeter Chiefs Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Henry Browne Livepic Copyright Reuters Staff(Reuters)
By Reuters
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(Reuters) - Duncan Taylor will get the chance to claim a berth in Scotland's Rugby World Cup squad after being selected for the first time in two years for their match against France on Saturday.

Taylor will partner with Huw Jones in midfield on his return since last playing for the national side in 2017 against Fiji in Suva. His last 24 months have been blighted by injury.

Adam Hastings has a first start at flyhalf since last November's international against Argentina and will be partnered by Glasgow Warriors club mate Ali Price in Nice.

Edinburgh hooker Stuart McInally will captain the side while uncapped Warriors lock Scott Cummings and Northampton Saints centre Rory Hutchinson were named on the bench and should make their debuts on Saturday.

Scotland will host France in a return fixture on Aug. 24 at Murrayfield before away and home tests against Georgia next month round off World Cup preparations.

"These four tests are a vital part of that process in terms of testing our systems and combinations but also in seeing which players put their best foot forward when it comes to selection for the final 31-man group going to Japan next month," coach Gregor Townsend said.

Scotland are due to name their 31-man Rugby World Cup squad on Sept. 3.

Team: 15-Stuart Hogg, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Duncan Taylor, 11-Byron McGuigan, 10-Adam Hastings, 9- Ali Price, 8-Josh Strauss, 7-Jamie Ritchie, 6-John Barclay, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Ben Toolis, 3-Simon Berghan, 2-Stuart McInally (captain), 1-Jamie Bhatti

Replacements: 16-George Turner, 17-Gordon Reid, 18-Zander Fagerson, 19-Scott Cummings, 20-Matt Fagerson, 21-George Horne, 22-Rory Hutchinson, 23-Blair Kinghorn.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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