Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named a 45-player squad for the campaign, which will see Scotland host Pacific Nations Cup champions Fiji first up on Saturday 2nd November (17:40).
There are a host of new caps in the Scotland squad, with newly-named captain Sione Tuipulotu joined by his 23-year-old brother Mosese, who recently signed for Edinburgh Rugby.
Glasgow Warriors pair Alex Samuel and Tom Jordan, and Edinburgh Rugby duo Ben Muncaster and Freddy Douglas join Mosese Tuipulotu as the five uncapped players named in the squad, all aiming to earn full international honours in the Autumn Nations Series.
There are also recalls for Edinburgh player D’Arcy Rae, who is involved for the first time since his first cap against Ireland in the 2019 Guinness Men’s Six Nations. Northampton centre Rory Hutchinson has also been recalled to the squad.
Head coach Townsend said: “We’ve been encouraged by the early season performances of our players and are looking forward to working with them once again. We had some stand-out performers on our summer tour, who have earned their selections for the Autumn Test campaign.”
Captain Sione Tuipulotu is one of six centres comprising Hutchinson, his brother Mosese, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall and Matt Currie.
Finn Russell is one of three fly-halves in the squad with Adam Hastings and Tom Jordan also listed in the number 10 role.
There are four scrum-halves named, with Ben White, George Horne, Ali Price and the versatile Jamie Dobie gunning for the starting jersey.
Blair Kinghorn and Harry Paterson are named as fullbacks. Duhan van der Merwe, Kyle Rowe and Arron Reed are joined by Darcy Graham, who returns from injury for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup as options on the wing.
Among the 26 listed forwards, vice-captain Darge forms a back row selection including Jamie Ritchie, Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey, Luke Crosbie, Josh Bayliss and Gregor Brown, as well as the uncapped Muncaster and Douglas.
Ewan Johnson returns to the squad after impressing on Scotland’s summer tour and joins Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Max Williamson, Alex Craig and Alex Samuel as primary second-row options.
In the front row, hookers Ewan Ashman, Dylan Richardson and Patrick Harrison are joined by props Pierre Schoeman, Zander Fagerson, Jamie Bhatti, Will Hurd, Nathan McBeth, Elliot Millar Mills, Rory Sutherland and Darcy Rae.
Commenting on naming Sione Tuipulotu as the new Scotland captain, Townsend said: “Sione has been one of our key leaders over the last couple of years and thrives in that leadership role. We’ve seen that in his outings as Glasgow captain and when he had the opportunity to lead the team against Chile a few months ago.
“He often sets the emotional tone and mindset required for the team and he also contributes significantly to both our attack and defence. Last season we looked to deepen our leadership group and we now have a number of people who could step up as captain. Sione is aware that he will have leaders around him to offer support and share the leadership responsibilities needed throughout the week and during the game.”
On the five uncapped players, he said: “We saw in the summer how much it meant to the players to win their first caps for their country. We have five players in this squad that will be hugely motivated to do the same.
“Alex Samuel was unlucky to miss out on the summer tour through injury as he would have very likely been out in the Americas with us. Tom Jordan is now qualified to play for us and has been playing consistently well for Glasgow for a while.
“Ben Muncaster has started the season with real intensity, making some big plays, whether operating at openside or number eight. Mosese Tuipulotu has integrated himself really quickly to playing rugby in Scotland and we are seeing more and more of his ability as a passer and ball carrier.
“Although Freddy Douglas has yet to appear in the URC, what we’ve seen with his performances with Edinburgh A and Scotland Under-20s shows us that he has the skills and mindset that can thrive in our environment. Patrick Harrison is a perfect example of that. He had played well for Edinburgh A and showed that with belief, intent and effort – you can bring out your strengths at Test level.
Looking ahead to the upcoming four games, Townsend said:
After Scotland host Fiji in the Autumn Nations Series opener, the challenge grows as they welcome reigning world champions South Africa to Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday 10th November (16:10). Scotland’s next game will be against emerging opposition Portugal on Saturday 16th November (15:10), where there will be a strong likelihood the uncapped players will get their opportunity. Scotland’s last Test match of the Autumn Nations Series comes in the form of Joe Schmidt’s Australia on Sunday 24th November 2024.
The Autumn Nations Series Squad (caps in brackets):
Forwards (26)
Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (19) Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (7) Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34) Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (3) Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (39) Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (11) Alex Craig – Scarlets (4) Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (22) VICE-CAPTAIN Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (20) Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped) Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (47) Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (67) Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (72) Patrick Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby (2) Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (2) Ewan Johnson – Oyonnax (3) Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (2) Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (5) Ben Muncaster – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped) D’Arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (1) Dylan Richardson – The Sharks (3) Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (51) Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped) Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (34) Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (32) Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (4)o;
Backs (19)
Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby (3) Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (6) Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (39) Adam Hastings – Glasgow Warriors (30) George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (32) Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (7) Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (50) Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped) Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (53) Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (5) Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (3) Ali Price – Edinburgh Rugby (67) Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (2) Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (7) Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (80) VICE-CAPTAIN Mosese Tuipulotu – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped) Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (27) CAPTAIN Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (41) Ben White – Toulon (22)
