Born in Wales, Rimmer has an English father and Welsh mother, yet qualifies for Scotland via his grandmother. He plays with three of the current Welsh side, Matthew Nuthall, Mark Lewis and Geraint Morris, with Pontypridd Under 21 and came on as a replacement for the Welsh President’s Under 21 side when they beat the New Zealand Youth team in Cardiff earlier in the season.
A product of Cynffig Comprehensive School, he played for the Scottish Exiles Under 20 side last season and won his first cap as a replacement against Ireland last month.
The Scots have lost both games in the Six Nations Under 21 championships to date this season, against Ireland and France, and will go into Friday night’s game looking to end a run of seven successive championship defeats.
If nothing else, Rimmer will at least be able to give his Scottish team mates an invaluable insight into their Welsh opponents having lined-up with so many of them in the past.
Paul James’ side will travel to Inverness full of confidence having beaten both Italy and England to date this season. With a 14-2 advantage over the Scots in a series that dates back to 1987, Wales will start as big favourites.
Coach Chris Davey, who is seeking a sixth successive championship victory, has made five changes from the side that beat England 35-9 at Neath in the last round of matches.
“The Bridgend centre David Bishop was injured against England and broke down again in training this week. Gavin Henson is available once again so he slots back in at centre, while we have moved and with Johnny Vaughton from wing to centre,” said Davey.
“That has allowed us to give Will Kershaw-Naylor, from Bristol, a first start on the right wing. Will is from Monmouth and was on the bench against Italy.
“James Goode has been brought in as a replacement lock for his Cardiff clubmate James Stamatakis, who picked up an injury last weekend.”
The injury to Stamatakis means Swansea back row man Jonathan Thomas moves from No 8 to lock and the fit-again James Malpas returns in the back row.
Since Mike Hall’s ‘Class of ’87’ opened up with a convincing 39-19 triumph in Wrexham, the only defeats Wales have suffered against the Scots have come at Inverleith in 1995 and a rainsoaked Llanwern in 1998 – the last time the Scottish Under 21s beat one of the original Five Nations teams.
Last season Wales gave their opponents a 64-20 battering at Caerphilly and skipper Paul James, Gareth Swales, Nick Robinson, Michael Phillips, Bryn Griffiths and Robin Sowden-Taylor will be back for more in Inverness.
Rimmer gets his first start in the Scottish line-up after appearing as a replacement in the defeats against Ireland and France. He will figure at full back following the switch from No 15 to No 10 by Alistair Warnock.
Wales Under 21: G Swales (Swansea); W Kershaw-Naylor (Bristol), J Vaughton (Swansea),
G Henson (Swansea), M Nuthall (Pontypridd); N Robinson (Cardiff), M Phillips (Llanelli); P James (Neath, captain), K Crawford (Ebbw Vale), R Thomas (Newport), B Griffiths (Llanelli), J Thomas (Swansea), M Lewis (Pontypridd), R Pugh (Swansea), J Malpas (Cardiff).
Replacements: N Brew (Newport), S Williams (Newport), R Richards (Neath), G Morris (Pontypridd),
H Bennett (Swansea), J Goode (Cardiff), R Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff).
Scotland: J Rimmer (Pontypridd); N Walker (Borders), G Morrison (Glasgow Hawks), P Philip (Edinburgh), A Turnbull (Watsonians); A Warnock (Boroughmuir), C Cusiter (Boroughmuir); J Malakoty (Glasgow Hawks), J Henry (Leicester), G Cross (Heriots FP), A Strokosch (Boroughmuir), M Rennie (Newcastle), S Swindall (Glasgow Hawks), A Hogg (Edinburgh, captain), K Brown (Melrose).
Replacements: F Thomson (West of Scotland), A Dickinson (Dundee HSFP), D Callam (Hawick), A Miller (Gala), M McMillan (Stirling County), P Goodman (Newcastle), P Boston (Tynedale).
Referee: D Rose (Ireland).
