Scotland summon two big names for Australia clash - and a potential debutant
Graham and Kinghorn back in team as Leatherbarrow makes bench for first time
Gregor Townsend has largely kept faith with the Scotland players who lost to New Zealand last weekend, making only two changes to his starting side for this Sunday’s Nations Championship match with Australia at Murrayfield.
But there could be a debut for Newcastle Red Bulls No 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow, who has been named on the bench.
The Scotland head coach had warned in the aftermath of the All Blacks defeat that “no-one was undroppable” as he expressed his disappointment with the performance in the 43-21 defeat in Edinburgh.
However, 13 of the 15 get the chance to go again against the Wallabies.
The two changes come in the backline. Blair Kinghorn is promoted from the bench to start at full-back in place of Kyle Rowe who drops out of the 23. And Darcy Graham comes into the side on the left wing, taking the place of Jamie Dobie who is named among the replacements.
Scotland’s back three offered little in the way of an attacking threat against the All Blacks and the inclusion of Graham - the team’s leading try-scorer - is designed to offer more danger out wide. Kinghorn can do likewise and should also provide strength in the aerial battle.
The selection of Leatherbarrow is intriguing. He was a surprise inclusion when Townsend named his autumn squad and the coach spoke about him offering a similar ball-carrying threat to Jack Dempsey.
Dempsey, who now plays in Japan, will not be available for the Six Nations and Townsend is clearly thinking ahead.
Leatherbarrow, 24, was born in Macclesfield, and qualifies through his grandmother, who is from Perthshire. He has come through the Scotland age-grade teams up to under-20 level and is now poised for full international honours after a couple of good seasons at Newcastle.
For the meantime, Dempsey retains his place at No 8 despite a quieter than usual game against New Zealand.
The starting pack is the same as last week which means Rory Sutherland is again preferred to Pierre Schoeman at loosehead prop. Sutherland played the first 32 minutes against New Zealand before being replaced by Schoeman.
Townsend has gone for six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench this weekend, which means there is no place in the squad for Glasgow Warriors scrum-half George Horne. The two backs are Dobie and Tom Jordan, who both have the ability to play different positions.
Scotland need to win to recharge their Nations Championship campaign while Australia are looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat by England at Twickenham.
The sides last met at Murrayfield two years ago when Scotland won 27-13 with tries from Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Bayliss and Finn Russell.
Scotland team v Australia
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn; 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (capt),11 Darcy Graham; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White; 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Gregor Brown, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Matt Fagerson, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey. Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan.
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