Scotland

A new leaner and energetic Matt Scott is champing at the bit to get the season started with Edinburgh Rugby after something of a false start to his second spell with his hometown club last season.

Scotland international Sam Skinner will miss the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan next month following a hamstring injury.

Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw hailed his team's performance against France at BT Murrayfield Stadium last weekend where they registered a 17-14 win.

Scotland trio Sam Skinner, Tommy Seymour and Blade Thomson are doubtful starters for the upcoming World Cup warm-up game against Georgia in Tbilisi on 31st September.

Scotland bounced back from their defeat against France last weekend with a 17-14 victory against the same opposition at BT Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.

Scottish Rugby has announced former England international Jim Mallinder as the new performance director of the national side.

Pete Horne has been picked to start for Scotland this weekend against France - and it is certain that everyone at Howe of Fife’s Duffus Park will be cheering him on from afar.

Most male Scottish rugby players below the national squad level are currently putting in the hard yards as pre-season continues for the upcoming XV-a-side campaign.

France head coach Jacques Brunel has made four changes in the starting line-up for the reverse fixture against Scotland to be played at BT Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made 14 changes to the line-up for the BT Murrayfield Stadium encounter against France to be played on 24th August.

France ran a five-try riot as they trounced Scotland 32-3 in their encounter at Allianz Riviera on Saturday.

France have named uncapped duo Alivereti Raka and Francois Cros in the starting line-up that will take on Scotland on Saturday in Nice.

When Northampton Saints stand-off/centre Rory Hutchinson comes off the bench for Scotland on Saturday evening to earn his first full international cap, it will not just be those near Franklin’s Gardens and north of the border who will be cheering.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named Saracens centre Duncan Taylor for the first time in two years for the upcoming clash against France in Nice next weekend.

Stuart Hogg was dressed to impress as best man at a friend’s wedding at the weekend, but rather than making speeches, he is now firmly focused on letting his rugby do the talking.

In July the Bolivian men’s national rugby team played their first ever matches and the sport in the country is slowly, but surely, growing there.

Next month, Rachel Malcolm will hope to be part of new head coach Philip Doyle’s first Scotland Women’s squad that jets off to South Africa for two Test matches, but of late, all of her focus has been closer to home.

Jamie Ritchie does not turn 23 until later this month, but the exciting back-row player has packed a lot into his life so far and one of the pinnacles of his rugby career could be just around the corner.

With World Cup warm-up games for the Six Nations sides fast approaching, training is cranking up a notch as selection for the showpiece event in Japan edges closer.

Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair has been heartened by the sight of key man Duncan Taylor being back in training with the national team squad over the summer.