Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe urged to seize recall chance as Scotland make 14 changes

Gregor Townsend believes there is enough strength in depth within his Scotland squad to allow him to make 14 changes and still go into Saturday’s match against Fiji with confidence.

It is the national side’s final summer fixture and their third in a Nations Championship campaign which began with an impressive away win over Argentina and continued with a loss to South Africa in Pretoria.

Of the side that started the 42-28 defeat at Loftus Versfeld, only Gregor Brown retains his place but the Glasgow man will have a new role at Murrayfield this weekend, with Townsend moving him from the second row to No 8.

Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe have been recalled by Scotland for the Nations Championship match against Fiji at Murrayfield. | Getty Images

Elsewhere, it’s all change. There are returns for wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, the top try-scorers in the history of the Scotland men’s national team, and the experienced lock Jonny Gray, who will win his 83rd cap.

First starts and a likely Test debut

At the other end of the scale, hooker Gregor Hiddleston and flanker Freddy Douglas will make their first starts for Scotland. There is also likely to be a Test debut for Seb Stephen who has been named as replacement hooker. Stafford McDowall will captain the team, with regular skipper Sione Tuipulotu on the bench.

The notable absentees include Finn Russell, Ben White, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Kyle Rowe and Rory Hutchinson. Also missing, through injury, are Kyle Steyn (knee), Rory Darge (head) and Ewan Ashman (hamstring). The latter will be out for three to four weeks.

In their place come a number of players who travelled to Argentina and South Africa and have been knocking on the door of the national side.

McDowall will be partnered by his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Ollie Smith in the centre and Saracens’ Fergus Burke and Glasgow’s George Horne take over from Russell and White at half-back. Tom Jordan, who started at 10 against Argentina, is selected at full-back.

Seb Stephen, right, has been named on the bench for Scotland's match against Fiji and is in line to make his Test debut. | SNS Group / SRU

In the pack, Hiddleston is joined in the front row by props Rory Sutherland and D’ary Rae while Max Williamson is alongside Gray at lock. Josh Bayliss is in the back row with Douglas and Brown.

“It's an opportunity for 14 of the guys that didn't play last week,” said Townsend. “And just draw a line under what we believe has been a very good season.”

Experienced core on the bench

Fiji slumped to a 73-8 defeat to England in Liverpool last Saturday having been beaten 39-24 by Wales in Cardiff the previous week. Their cause has not been helped by having to play in Europe when these fixtures are technically part of the Nations Championship’s ‘Southern Series’ which should see the Southern Hemisphere teams playing at home.

Scotland, who sit third in the northern conference, will be confident of overcoming the Fijians but Townsend will be mindful of this team’s defeat by the islanders in Suva last summer. Although he has made wholesale changes, there is an experienced core on the bench comprising Tuipulotu, props Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson, lock Scott Cummings, No 8 Magnus Bradbury and scrum-half/wing Jamie Dobie. They are joined by Edinburgh flanker Liam McConnell who is likely to add to his only previous cap which came against the USA last autumn.

Townsend said it felt right to give opportunities to other players given the gruelling travel schedule.

“These players are deserving and we've got some quality players playing this weekend and the depth is really strong,” said the coach. “But also this is a Test match, we're going to do all we can to win. So having players of experience [on the bench] that might only play 20, 30 minutes rather than starting, I think gives us a good opportunity in the second half to build on what we've done.

“And it's good having leaders around younger players. When you see Zander and Pierre Schoeman potentially coming on at the same time as Seb Stephen, I think that's a really good message to send Seb as well, to just go out and play your game. You've got two experienced guys beside you.”

Graham and van der Merwe now have the opportunity to add to their already impressive try tallies after losing their places to Steyn and Dobie in recent weeks.

“Both of them can consider themselves unlucky not to play in the first two games,” Townsend said of the Edinburgh wingers. “But we believe Jamie and Kyle deserved the chance to play against Argentina, given that they were our starting wingers [in the Six Nations] up until Jamie got injured against England.

“But I commend both players in terms of the effort they've been putting in at training. They realise there's competition, they realise this is a big opportunity.”

Graham, who scored four tries against Fiji the last time they played at Murrayfield, now has 38 tries for his country while van der Merwe has 35.

Fiji v Scotland teams

Nations Championship, Saturday, 2:10pm, Murrayfield

Fiji: 15. Salesi Rayasi; 14. Vuate Karawalevu, 13. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 12. Josua Tuisova, 11. Jiuta Wainiqolo; 10. Caleb Muntz, 9. Simione Kuruvoli; 1. Eroni Mawi, 2. Tevita Ikanivere (capt), 3. Mesake Doge, 4. Tevita Ratuva, 5. Isoa Nasilasila, 6. Peceu Yato, 7. Lekima Tagitagivalu, 8. Levani Botia. Replacements: 16. Sam Matavesi, 17. Livai Natave, 18. Peni Ravai, 19. Temo Mayanavanua, 20. Elia Canakaivata, 21. Pita Gus Sowakula, 22. Frank Lomani, 23. Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula.

Scotland: 15. Tom Jordan; Darcy Graham; Ollie Smith, 12. Stafford McDowall (capt), 11. Duhan van der Merwe; 10. Fergus Burke, 9. George Horne; 1. Rory Sutherland, 2. Gregor Hiddleston, 3. D’arcy Rae, 4. Jonny Gray, 5. Max Williamson, 6. Josh Bayliss, 7. Freddy Douglas, 8. Gregor Brown. Replacements: 16. Seb Stephen, 17. Pierre Schoeman, 18. Zander Fagerson, 19. Scott Cummings, 20. Magnus Bradbury, 21. Liam McConnell, 22. Jamie Dobie, 23. Sione Tuipulotu.