Duhan gets his jersey back as Scotland boss wields axe
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made a raft of changes to his matchday squad for Sunday’s Nations Series match against Tonga.
George Turner will win a 50th Scotland cap, while Sione Tuipulotu is the sole starting XV survivor from last week’s loss to Argentina.
For the final Test match of 2025, centre Tuipulotu will link up with Glasgow teammate Ollie Smith, with fellow Warrior Kyle Rowe selected on the right wing.
Duhan van der Merwe, a replacement last time out, is given the nod on the opposing wing, with Tom Jordan selected at fullback in a first start of the series.
Scotland will have a new-look halfback pairing, with flyhalf Fergus Burke primed for a first home cap and scrumhalf Ben White making a welcome return after missing out through illness last week.
Zander Fagerson is another returnee, with the tighthead prop having recovered from an injury that curtailed his involvement in the British & Irish Lions tour earlier in the year.
Rory Sutherland will pack down at loosehead prop, joining half-centurion Turner to complete the front row.
It’s all change in the second row, as Max Williamson and Alex Samuel join forces in the engine room to start together, having both assumed the role as substitutes in the series opener against the USA.
In the back row, Jamie Ritchie and Andy Onyeama-Christie earn first appearances of the Autumn at blindside and openside flank respectively, with Magnus Bradbury coming in at No.8.
On the bench, hooker Ewan Ashman, who last weekend became Scotland Men’s all-time top try scorer, for a forward, as he crossed for a 12th such score, is joined by props Nathan McBeth and Will Hurd, the latter of whom was a late call-up to the wider squad.
Lock Marshall Sykes and Josh Bayliss, who will cover the back row positions, are the remaining forwards.
And Scotland’s final squad of the calendar year is completed by back replacements, scrumhalf George Horne, centre Stafford McDowall and Kyle Steyn, who will cover the centre positions.
Scotland: 15 Tom Jordan, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ben White, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 6 Andy Onyeama-Christie, 5 Max Williamson, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 George Horne, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Kyle Steyn.
Date: Sunday, November 23
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 13.40 (13.40 GMT; 02.40 TOT Monday, November 24)
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)
Assistant referees: Evan Urruzmendi (France), Benoît Rousselet (France)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)
