Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has insisted that all eight of the debutants he has named in his match-day squad for Saturday’s Autumn Test Series curtain-raiser against Tonga at Murrayfield have a real chance to nail down a regular place in the side.
With 11 members of his 42-strong training squad for the series unavailable this weekend because they play for clubs based in England or France and this game has been scheduled outside World Rugby statutory international window, Townsend has been forced to mix-up his team selection.
Loose-head prop Pierre Schoeman, second-row Jamie Hodgson, outside-centre Sione Tuipulotu and winger Rufus McLean will all debut in the starting XV, while second-row Marshall Sykes, back-row Luke Crosbie, scrum-half Jamie Dobie and stand-off Ross Thompson will make their international bows off the bench.
A raft of Scotland’s biggest hitters will come back into contention to face Australia next weekend – including captain Stuart Hogg fellow Lions tourists Duhan van der Merwe, Chris Harris, Finn Russell and Rory Sutherland, and also Adam Hastings, Huw Jones and Sam Skinner – but Townsend was adamant yesterday that less experienced players will hold onto their place in the side if they perform well against Tonga.
“They have created these opportunities by the way they are playing,” said the coach. “Obviously, there is going to be more competition next week, but this group of players has the opportunity to show us that they deserve to be selected the following week against Australia.”
Townsend has named Blair Kinghorn – who has played on either the wing or at full-back in all 25 of his previous Scotland appearances – in the crucial stand-off slot. Meanwhile, Darcy Graham takes over the No15 jersey from fellow Hawick-man Hogg.
Scrum-half Ali Price and flanker Jamie Ritchie will co-captain the side in Hogg’s absence. “They’ve been vice-captains before, and Jamie was set to be captain the team this summer [before Covid hit],” said Townsend. “One being a back and one being a forward means they should complement each other.
“We feel it is a good opportunity to enable this pair to get more leadership experience.”
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