With the possibility of the Welsh and Scottish not going ahead in 2020 due to Covid-19 the team here at RugbyHeartland are heading back to the past…
In association with our Virtual Partners “VR-RugbyHeartland” and the “Rugby Challenge” PC Game Series RugbyHeartland are bringing you the fans some rugby to look forward to with the announcement of our Virtual Tours of New Zealand by the Scottish and Welsh teams.
Originally the Scottish were to play a Test match on the 18th July in Dunedin while the Welsh had two Test Matches scheduled on the 4th July at Auckland and the 11th July in Wellington.
Original Scheduled Dates
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- All Blacks v Wales, 7.35PM, Saturday 4 July, Eden Park, Auckland
- All Blacks v Wales, 7.35PM, Saturday 11 July, Sky Stadium, Wellington
- All Blacks v Scotland, 7.35PM, Saturday 18 July, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
So we have decided to offer a throwback to the days of Tours when visiting teams headed to the provinces and took on the local teams that would have drawn thousands of locals to their local grounds to view the stars from overseas and witness the hopeful induction to legend status to their local heroes as they played the touring sides.
We have merge both teams to tour New Zealand at the same time with the Scottish getting a spread of matches over the entire country, while the Welsh will be predominately based in the North Island with only one sojourn to the South Island to take part in a special double-header in Nelson, where we will see the Scottish playing the Mitre10 Cup Champions from 2019 the Tasman Mako in the main game but as the curtain raiser the Welsh will do battle with a combined Buller/West Coast team, a side that has had a great history playing touring sides.
The Scottish also will need to have their wits about them as the also take on a combined team in their opening match of their tour as they take on the combined East Coast/Poverty Bay team who’s history of combining to play to overseas teams dates back to 1921 when a combined team first played 2 matches against New South Wales and the South Africans, going down by 08-26 to NSW and in a tighter affair losing 08-14 to South Africa at McLean Park in Napier. So what a better way to kick off a tour almost 99 years later to have another match albeit virtually at McLean Park. The Combined team have also played twice before the Scottish in 1990 & 2000.
POVERTY BAY-EAST COAST v SCOTLAND
Rugby Park, Gisborne 30 May, 1990
Won by Scotland 45-0
POVERTY BAY-EAST COAST vs SCOTLAND
Rugby Park, Gisborne June 13, 2000
Won by Scotland 51-10
Scorers: Poverty Bay-East Coast Tries: H.Lewis , G.C. Allen
Referee: K.M.Deaker (Hawkes Bay)
As Scotland begin their journey they embark on a 13 match tour starting on the 6th June against the Combined East Coast/Poverty Bay team, then followed 4 days later with a match against the NZ Maori in Rotorua and then three days later they head to Auckland to take on a Virtual New Zealand Team in the first of three Test Matches. They then move down to Palmerston North to play another Heartland team the Wairarapa-Bush on the 17th June before heading to Wellington for the Second Test against N.Z on the 20th June.
They then, you could say have a rest by travelling the remainder of N.Z. with matches against Manawatu ( 24th June) ; Tasman in the Double header Day in Nelson on the 6th of June; Canterbury (1st July) ; South Canterbury (4th July) ; 2019 Meads Cup Champions North Otago (8th July) ; Southland ( 11th July) and Otago (15th July) , before their third and final Test against N.Z. in Dunedin before returning home.
All Matches will be STREAMED live at the VR-RugbyHeartland Facebook Page. CLICK HERE
The Welsh begin their 13 game tour on the same day as the Scottish (6th June) but a bit further north with an opening match against Northland in Whangarei before heading down state highway one to Albany to take on North Harbour in what could be a torrid opening couple of games.
On the 13th June Pukekohe host the Welsh as they take on the NZ Heartland XV picked from players how played in the 2019 Virtual Heartland series, then they go on literally a Heartland Tour within New Zealand with matches against Thames Valley (17th June); Wanganui (20th June – two-time Virtual Heartland Champions 2018 & 2019) ; King Country (24th June) and then on the 6th June they take part in the Double-Header in Nelson when the play the Curtain Raiser to the Scotland/Tasman game with a match against a combined West Coast/Buller Team (yet to be Selected).
Wales then travel back North to face the Virtual New Zealand team for the first test to be played in Auckland on the 4th July, after which it is a another road trip to play 2 matches in Wellington, on the 8th July they play Horowhenua-Kapiti and then 3 days later on the 11th July the Welsh face NZ in the second test also in Wellington.
After the second test the Welsh travel back to Pukekohe where they had earlier played the NZ Heartland XV, but this time the take on the home team the Counties Manukau Steelers on the 15th July, before heading to New Plymouth for their final provincial game against Taranaki on the 22nd of July.
The Tour wraps up with the third and final test of the series against NZ in Hamilton on the 29th of July.
All Matches will be STREAMED live at the VR-RugbyHeartland Facebook Page. CLICK HERE
The Squads for Scotland and Wales are as follows based on the 2020 Six Nations teams:
Current 2020 Scotland squad
For the 2020 Six Nations Championship, Townsend named a 38-man squad which included six uncapped players – Alex Craig, Luke Crosbie, Tom Gordon, Nick Haining, Kyle Steyn and Ratu Tagive, while Stuart Hogg replaced Stuart McInally as captain.
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- On 24 January Duncan Weir was called up to join the squad.
- On 16 February Sam Skinner and Matt Fagerson were added to the squad, with Alex Craig being released back to his club.
- On 1 March Lewis Carmichael was added to the squad, with Cornell du Preez being released back to his club.
- Caps updated: 8 March 2020
Head Coach: 
Gregor Townsend
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fraser Brown | – Hooker | 20 June 1989 | 50 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Stuart McInally | – Hooker | 9 August 1990 | 37 | Edinburgh |
| George Turner | – Hooker | 8 October 1992 | 9 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Simon Berghan | – Prop | 7 December 1990 | 25 | Edinburgh |
| Jamie Bhatti | – Prop | 8 September 1993 | 15 | Edinburgh |
| Allan Dell | – Prop | 16 March 1992 | 32 |  London Irish |
| Zander Fagerson | – Prop | 19 January 1996 | 29 | Glasgow Warriors |
| W. P. Nel | – Prop | 30 April 1986 | 38 | Edinburgh |
| Rory Sutherland | – Prop | 24 August 1992 | 7 | Edinburgh |
| Lewis Carmichael | – Lock | 2 May 1995 | 2 | Edinburgh |
| Scott Cummings | – Lock | 3 December 1996 | 12 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Grant Gilchrist | – Lock | 9 August 1990 | 42 | Edinburgh |
| Jonny Gray | – Lock | 14 March 1994 | 57 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Sam Skinner | – Lock | 31 January 1995 | 7 | Exeter Chiefs |
| Ben Toolis | – Lock | 31 March 1992 | 25 | Edinburgh |
| Magnus Bradbury | – Back row | 23 August 1995 | 14 | Edinburgh |
| Luke Crosbie | – Back row | 22 April 1997 | 0 | Edinburgh |
| Matt Fagerson | – Back row | 16 July 1998 | 6 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Thomas Gordon | – Back row | 30 January 1997 | 0 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Nick Haining | – Back row | 1 September 1990 | 3 | Edinburgh |
| Jamie Ritchie | – Back row | 16 August 1996 | 18 | Edinburgh |
| Hamish Watson | – Back row | 15 October 1991 | 32 | Edinburgh |
| George Horne | – Scrumhalf | 12 May 1995 | 13 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Ali Price | – Scrumhalf | 12 May 1993 | 32 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Henry Pyrgos | – Scrumhalf | 9 July 1989 | 28 | Edinburgh |
| Adam Hastings | – First Five | 5 October 1996 | 20 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Finn Russell | – First Five | 23 September 1992 | 49 |  Racing 92 |
| Duncan Weir | – First Five | 10 May 1991 | 28 | Worcester Warriors |
| Chris Harris | – Centre | 28 December 1990 | 18 | Gloucester |
| Rory Hutchinson | – Centre | 29 January 1996 | 5 | Northampton Saints |
| Sam Johnson | – Centre | 19 June 1993 | 13 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Huw Jones | – Centre | 17 December 1993 | 25 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Matt Scott | – Centre | 30 September 1990 | 39 | Edinburgh |
| Darcy Graham | – Wing | 21 June 1997 | 11 | Edinburgh |
| Sean Maitland | – Wing | 14 September 1988 | 48 | Saracens |
| Byron McGuigan | – Wing | 20 August 1989 | 10 | Sale Sharks |
| Kyle Steyn | – Wing | 29 January 1994 | 1 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Ratu Tagive | – Wing | 8 April 1991 | 0 | Glasgow Warriors |
| Stuart Hogg | – Fullback | 24 June 1992 | 76 | Exeter Chiefs |
| Blair Kinghorn | – Fullback | 18 January 1997 | 21 | Edinburgh |
Current 2020 Wales squad
On 15 January 2020, Wales announced a 38-man squad for the Six Nations.
On 5 February 2020, Taine Basham and Dewi Lake were added to the squad.
Fly-half Owen Williams was released from the squad on 11 February after suffering a hamstring injury in the warm-up ahead of Wales’ match against Ireland on 8 February.
Fly-half Sam Davies was added to the squad in the week leading up to the game against England on 7 March 2020.
Head coach: 
Wayne Pivac
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- Caps and clubs updated 7 March 2020
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Dee | – Hooker | 7 March 1994 | 29 |  Dragons |
| Ryan Elias | – Hooker | 7 January 1995 | 13 | Scarlets |
| Dewi Lake | – Hooker | 16 May 1999 | 0 | Ospreys |
| Ken Owens | – Hooker | 3 January 1987 | 77 | Scarlets |
| Rhys Carre | – Prop | 8 February 1998 | 8 | Saracens |
| Leon Brown | – Prop | 26 October 1996 | 10 | Dragons |
| Rob Evans | – Prop | 14 April 1992 | 39 | Scarlets |
| WillGriff John | – Prop | 4 December 1992 | 0 | Sale Sharks |
| Wyn Jones | – Prop | 26 February 1992 | 25 | Scarlets |
| Dillon Lewis | – Prop | 4 January 1996 | 26 | Cardiff Blues |
| Jake Ball | – Lock | 27 June 1991 | 46 | Scarlets |
| Adam Beard | – Lock | 7 January 1996 | 21 | Ospreys |
| Seb Davies | – Lock | 17 May 1996 | 7 | Cardiff Blues |
| Cory Hill | – Lock | 10 February 1992 | 25 | Dragons |
| Alun Wyn Jones | – Lock | 19 September 1985 | 138 | Ospreys |
| Will Rowlands | – Lock | 19 September 1991 | 1 | Wasps |
| Taine Basham | – Back row | 2 November 1999 | 0 | Dragons |
| Taulupe Faletau | – Back row | 12 November 1990 | 76 | Bath |
| Ross Moriarty | – Back row | 18 April 1994 | 45 | Dragons |
| Josh Navidi | – Back row | 30 December 1990 | 24 | Cardiff Blues |
| Aaron Shingler | – Back row | 7 August 1987 | 27 | Scarlets |
| Justin Tipuric | – Back row | 6 August 1989 | 76 | Ospreys |
| Aaron Wainwright | – Back row | 25 September 1997 | 21 | Dragons |
| Gareth Davies | – Scrumhalf | 18 August 1990 | 53 | Scarlets |
| Rhys Webb | – Scrumhalf | 9 December 1988 | 33 | Toulon |
| Tomos Williams | – Scrumhalf | 1 January 1995 | 20 | Cardiff Blues |
| Dan Biggar | – First Five | 16 October 1989 | 83 | Northampton Saints |
| Sam Davies | – First Five | 6 October 1993 | 8 | Dragons |
| Jarrod Evans | – First Five | 25 July 1996 | 6 | Cardiff Blues |
| Hadleigh Parkes | – Centre | 5 October 1987 | 29 | Scarlets |
| Nick Tompkins | – Centre | 16 February 1995 | 4 | Saracens |
| Owen Watkin | – Centre | 12 October 1996 | 22 | Ospreys |
| Josh Adams | – Wing | 21 April 1995 | 24 | Cardiff Blues |
| Owen Lane | – Wing | 20 December 1997 | 2 | Cardiff Blues |
| Johnny McNicholl | – Wing | 24 September 1990 | 4 | Scarlets |
| George North | – Wing | 13 April 1992 | 95 | Ospreys |
| Louis Rees-Zammit | – Wing | 2 February 2001 | 0 | Gloucester |
| Leigh Halfpenny | – Fullback | 22 December 1988 | 89 | Scarlets |
| Jonah Holmes | – Fullback | 24 July 1992 | 3 | Leicester Tigers |
| Liam Williams | – Fullback | 9 April 1991 | 63 | Saracens |
