Ben Healy set for first Scotland start 

FIRST START: Scotland’s Ben Healy with his parents Maria and Feral. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Edinburgh Rugby-bound out-half Ben Healy has been handed his first start for Scotland. 

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has named Healy - a United Rugby Championship winner with Munster last term - to start at out-half for the pre-World Cup clash with Italy this Saturday.

The Tipperary native - who qualifies to play for the Scots through his grandmother - made his debut for the international side against the same opposition during this year's Six Nations campaign. 

Healy joins experienced nine Ali Price in the half-backs, while Ollie Smyth, Kyle Steyn and Darcy Graham make up the back three. 

Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall and Leicester second-row Cameron Henderson are set to make their Scotland debuts. McDowall partners Chris Harris in the midfield. 

In the pack, Glasgow's Rory Darge will captain the team for the first time, while prop Rory Sutherland is back in the starting line-up. Murphy Walker will win his third cap.

Finn Russell, captain Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Richie Gray, Duhan Van Der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, Zander Fagerson and Ben White are among several senior players who have been given the afternoon off, with further warm-up matches against France (home and away) and Georgia to come in August.