Scotland bring in two big names for Wallabies clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has revealed his team to face the Wallabies in Round Five of the Nations Championship in Edinburgh.
There are two changes to their starting XV that lost to the All Blacks last weekend, with Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham earning starts against the Wallabies.
There is also a potential first cap for Newcastle Red Bulls back-row forward Ollie Leatherbarrow, who has been named amongst the replacements.
Kinghorn comes in at fullback, with Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer Graham named on the left wing and vice-captain Kyle Steyn completing the back three on the right.
It’s as you were in the rest of the back division, with captain Sione Tuipulotu lining up at inside centre and Huw Jones at outside.
Scrumhalf Ben White links up with flyhalf Finn Russell for the 28th time in a Test match, the same number as current head coach Gregor Townsend and former halfback partner Bryan Redpath.
Townsend has selected the same starting pack, with Ewan Ashman, fresh from his historic hat-trick against New Zealand last weekend, named at hooker, either side of loosehead prop Rory Sutherland and tighthead prop Zander Fagerson.
Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings continue their partnership in the second row, and Scotland are similarly unchanged in the back row, with Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey reprising their roles in the loose.
Leatherbarrow, who qualifies for Scotland due to his grandmother being from Perth, has represented Scotland at Under-16s and 20s levels, and takes his place as one of six forward replacements. He is joined by fellow back row Josh Bayliss, with Max Williamson covering the second row.
Gregor Hiddleston, Pierre Schoeman and Will Hurd are the three front-row replacements and Scotland’s matchday 23 is completed by versatile backs Jamie Dobie and Tom Jordan.
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Darcy Graham, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan.
Date: Sunday, November 15
Venue: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 15.10 UK & IRE (15.10 GMT; 02.10 AEDT Monday, November 16)
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Angus Mabey (New Zealand)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
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