GREGOR TOWNSEND has named four new caps in his starting XV and four more on the bench for Scotland’s Autumn Test series opener against Tonga at Murrayfield on Saturday.
South African Pierre Schoeman (who qualified to play for Scotland through the three-year residency rule earlier this year) makes his debut at loose-head prop, with his Edinburgh team-mate Jamie Hodgson in the second-row. Behind the scrum, Glasgow Warriors duo Sione Tuipulotu (an Australian with a Scottish grandmother who was recruited from Japan this summer) and Rufus McLean are at outside centre and on the left-wing, respectively.
On the bench, Edinburgh forwards Marshall Sykes (second-row) and Luke Crosbie (back-row), along with Glasgow backs Jamie Dobie (scrum-half) and Ross Thompson (stand-off/full-back), are in line for their international bows. Townsend has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench.
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Darcy Graham is selected at full-back, while Ali Price and Jamie Ritchie will co-captain the side, in the absence of Stuart Hogg, who is one of the English/French based players not available for this match as it has been scheduled outside the international window.
“As a playing and coaching group we are looking forward to returning to international rugby over the coming four weeks in the Autumn Nations Series,” said Townsend.
“This week has been our first opportunity since the Six Nations to come together as a team, and our goal is to become a better team over the next month. Saturday will also be a huge occasion for a number of players in our squad who have the honour of playing for their country for the first time.”
“Tonga will be very dangerous opponents for us, as they pose a ferocious physical challenge in attack and defence. They performed very well on their last visit to Scotland and I’m sure they will be highly motivated to take the game to us once again.”
Scotland (v Tonga at the Murrayfield, Friday 30th October @ 2.30pm British time): D Graham; K Steyn, S Tuipulotu, S Johnson, R McLean; B Kinghorn, A Price (CC); P Schoeman, G Turner, Z Fagerson, J Hodgson, R Harley, J Ritchie (CC), H Watson, M Fagerson. Replacements: S McInally, J Bhatti, O Kebble, M Sykes, L Crosbie, N Haining, J Dobie, R Thompson.
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
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