Gregor Townsend has named four new caps in his startring XV and four more uncapped players on the bench for the first Autumn Series test against Tonga at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Edinburgh forwards Jamie Hodgson and Pierre Schoeman – who is residency qualified – and Glasgow backs Sione Tuipulotu and Rufus McLean are the new names in the starting team. Scotland will have starting co-captains for the first time in Ali Price and Jamie Ritchie.
🏴 Introducing your Scotland team to play Tonga in the opening match of the 2021 Autumn Nations Series this Saturday at @BTMurrayfield.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/kkqpJNjDhr#AsOne | @autumnnations pic.twitter.com/8otIUrpcqU
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 27, 2021
South African-born Schoeman was originally to have undergone a full five year residency period before qualifying for Scotland. But in the end he had to do just three as World Rugby reduced the eligibility limit because of the Covid pandemic.
Hodgson came up through the club ranks before catching the eye of former Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill. He makes his debut in the second row with veteran Rob Harley. The 31-year-old Glasgow lock wins his 23rd cap and making his first start since 2016.
Kinghorn at 10
In the backs, both Tuipulotu and McLean were set for caps this summer before Covid wiped out two test matches. The Australian-born centre has a Scottish grandmother.
Townsend has opted to go with Blair Kinghorn at stand-off. The Edinburgh player has 25 caps already but all were at full-back and wing.
Lions Price, Zander Fagerson and Hamish Watson – making his first appearance of the new season – all return to the side. Marshall Sykes, Luke Cosbie and young Glasgow half-backs Jamie Dobie and Ross Thompson are the uncapped players on the bench.
Scotland are without all their English and French based players as the test is outside World Rugby’s official international window.
Team:
Darcy Graham (Edinburgh); Kyle Steyn (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu, Sam Johnson, Rufus McLean (all Glasgow); Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Ali Price (Glasgow, co-captain); Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), George Turner (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow); Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh), Rob Harley (Glasgow); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh, co-captain), Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Oli Kebble (Glasgow), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Nick Haining (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow), Ross Thompson (Glasgow).