Scotland team to play All Blacks: Duhan van der Merwe DROPPED

Thursday, 06 November 2025 at 14:26

bySteven Smith

Gregor Townsend has named his Scotland team to play the All Blacks this weekend, with D’Arcy Rae, Kyle Steyn and Rory Hutchinson all promoted to the starting XV for a sold-out Scottish Gas Murrayfield occasion marking the stadium’s 100th anniversary.

Edinburgh prop Rae retains his spot after featuring in last weekend’s 85–0 demolition of the USA, packing down alongside club teammates Ewan Ashman and Pierre Schoeman in a full Edinburgh front row.

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In the backs, Steyn is recalled on the left wing opposite Darcy Graham, who became Scotland’s joint-record try scorer with his 34th touchdown last weekend. Blair Kinghorn continues at full-back.

Northampton Saints playmaker Hutchinson steps into midfield to partner captain Sione Tuipulotu, forming an all-British & Irish Lions core through the backline as Finn Russell and Ben White resume their Six Nations half-back partnership.

In the engine room, Scott Cummings is set for his first taste of facing New Zealand, locking with Grant Gilchrist, who brings experience from Scotland’s previous two clashes with the All Blacks.

The back-row unit remains all-Glasgow Warriors, with Jack Dempsey anchoring at No 8 alongside Matt Fagerson and Gregor Brown.

Among the replacements, George Turner is in line for his first Murrayfield appearance since the 2024 Calcutta Cup win, while Rory Sutherland and Elliot Millar Mills provide prop cover in Zander Fagerson’s injury absence. Jamie Dobie, fresh off a hat-trick against the USA, and Tom Jordan round off a 6–2 bench split.

Scotland team to play All Blacks

Quilter Nations Series
Scottish Gas Murrayfield – Saturday 8 November, 3.10 pm
Live on TNT Sports

15. Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse) – 60 caps
14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 48
13. Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – 9
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) – 30 (Captain)
11. Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) – 25
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby) – 87 (Vice-captain)
9. Ben White (Toulon) – 29
1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh) – 42
2. Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh) – 29
3. D’Arcy Rae (Edinburgh) – 3
4. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 43
5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 82 (Vice-captain)
6. Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 10
7. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 57
8. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) – 27

Replacements:
16. George Turner (Harlequins) – 47
17. Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors) – 44
18. Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints) – 9
19. Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh) – 5
20. Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) – 32
21. Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) – 11
22. Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) – 15
23. Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears) – 9