Ritchie back to captain Scotland in France as Townsend changes six

Scotland have made six changes to their side for the Rugby World Cup warm-up re-match with France on Saturday, including a return for flanker Jamie Ritchie, who will lead the side in Saint Etienne.

Scotland rallied from behind to defeat a second-string France 25-21 in Edinburgh this past weekend and are gunning for a morale-boosting double over the much-vaunted World Cup hosts.

Ritchie makes up a back row of the scrum that also includes Rory Darge and number eight Jack Dempsey, while Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist are the lock pairing.

George Turner has been selected at hooker and will pack down with a pair of South African-born props either side of him in Pierre Schoeman and WP Nel.

Finn Russell will look to control the game from flyhalf, with Ali Price preferred at scrumhalf and a midfield containing Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones. They start together for the seventh time in 2023.

Blair Kinghorn is at fullback, with another pair of South African-born players on each wing in the form Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn.

Coach Gregor Townsend has chosen a 6-2 split on the bench, with scrumhalf George Horne and the versatile Ollie Smith the two options among the backs.

Scotland team: 15. Blair Kinghorn, 14. Kyle Steyn, 13. Huw Jones, 12. Sione Tuipulotu, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ali Price, 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. George Turner, 3. WP Nel, 4. Richie Gray, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Jamie Ritchie (captain), 7. Rory Darge, 8. Jack Dempsey

Replacements: 16. Stuart McInally, 17. Rory Sutherland, 18. Javan Sebastian, 19. Scott Cummings, 20. Sam Skinner, 21. Josh Bayliss, 22. George Horne, 23. Ollie Smith.