Scotland boss Townsend names 12 Warriors in team to take on Boks

Twelve members of United Rugby Championship-winning team, the Glasgow Warriors, will run out for Scotland against the Springboks in a Test match at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Sunday (6.10pm).

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has backed several of the URC-winning players for the match against the World Cup winners from 2019 and 2013, however, Bath-based Finn Russell will lead the attack from flyhalf.

Former SA stars

Star centres Huw Jones and new captain Sione Tuipulotu continue their midfield pairing, while former SA university star Duhan van der Merwe will go up against his former countrymen.

Two other former South African provincial players, Pierre Schoeman and Dylan Richardson, will also be in action, as loosehead prop and back-up hooker respectively.

Tom Jordan will make his first start at fullback. Scotland go into the game after recording a 57-17 win against Fiji last weekend.

The Boks meanwhile have changed their team quite drastically since their last outing, against Argentina, in the Rugby Championship, with Eben Etzebeth named captain and Siya Kolisi on the bench. Coach Rassie Erasmus has also opted to back a 7-1 bench split between forwards and backs.

Willie le Roux will earn a 98th Test cap at fullback, while Handre Pollard will play flyhalf. Up front, Kwagga Smith will earn a 50th Test cap from No 8, with his fellow loose forwards being Marco van Staden and Elrigh Louw.

The last time the teams met, during pool play at the World Cup in France last year, the Boks won 18-3 in Marseille.

Scotland

Tom Jordan; Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (capt), Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ben White; Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson; Scott Cummings, Grant Gilchrist; Zander Fagerson, Ewan Ashman, Pierre Schoeman. Bench: Dylan Richardson, Rory Sutherland, Elliot Millar Mills, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Ritchie, Jamie Dobie, Stafford McDowall