FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool B - Scotland v Romania - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - September 30, 2023 Scotland's Darcy Graham scores a try REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
(Reuters) - Winger Darcy Graham has returned to the Scotland team for his first international since last year’s World Cup after being included for Saturday’s test against Fiji.
Coach Gregor Townsend named the highly-rated flyer, whose 24 tries make him joint third on the list of Scotland’s all-time top try-scorers, in the starting line-up for the clash at Murrayfield, the first of four tests for them in November.
A succession of injuries kept the 27-year-old Graham out of the Scotland side but he has shown a return to form in the colours of Edinburgh in this season’s United Rugby Championship.
British and Irish Lions scrumhalf Ali Price makes his first start for Scotland since the World Cup, pairing up with former Glasgow Warriors teammate Adam Hastings.
Centre Sione Tuipulotu will lead the team after being named captain by Townsend last week.
Scotland’s side is drawn only from home based players apart from replacement hooker Dylan Richardson, who has been released early by the Sharks of South Africa. It is because the test falls out of the window for clubs to release players to play for their countries.
Among the replacements, tighthead prop D’arcy Rae is selected after impressing for Edinburgh this season and will look to add to a solitary cap won five years ago.
The lone uncapped player in the matchday 23 is New Zealand-born utility back Tom Jordan, who is now eligible for Scotland on residency grounds.
Team:
15-Kyle Rowe, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sione Tuipulotu (capt), 11-Duhan van der Merwe, 10-Adam Hastings, 9-Ali Price, 8-Jack Dempsey, 7-Rory Darge, 6-Matt Fagerson, 5-Scott Cummings, 4-Grant Gilchrist, 3-Zander Fagerson, 2-Ewan Ashman, 1-Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16-Dylan Richardson, 17-Rory Sutherland, 18-D’Arcy Rae, 19-Max Williamson, 20-Gregor Brown, 21-Jamie Dobie, 22-Tom Jordan, 23-Stafford McDowall.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
