Finn Russell © Getty Images
Finn Russell has made his anticipated return to the Scotland starting team for Sunday’s test match against the world champion Springboks at Murrayfield.
The Bath flyhalf, who is rated as one of the best if not the best attacking pivots in world rugby, is one of three overseas based players who have been returned to the Scottish team after missing last week’s 57-17 thrashing of Fiji because the game fell outside of the international window.
Toulouse fullback Blair Kinghorn and Toulon scrumhalf Ben White have both been selected into the starting team, which would have been expected.
However, what was less anticipated is where Kinghorn will be lining up. The former Edinburgh star is on the right wing, where he replaces the injured four try hero from last week, Darcy Graham.
That switch of position for Kinghorn enabled Scotland coach Gregor Townsend to give a first start at fullback to Glasgow Warrior Tom Jordan, who made his debut off the bench against Fiji.
Kyle Rowe, another Glasgow Warriors player, filled the last line of defence last week but he was injured during the game and was unavailable for selection.
Russell comes in as vice-captain and replaces Adam Hastings in one of four changes to the backline – the others being the return of White at scrumhalf, Kinghorn for Graham and Jordan for Rowe.
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Unsurprisingly, Townsend has opted for the same pack that outplayed Fiji, although Northampton Saints prop Elliot Millar Mills comes in as a prop reserve.
Another forward reserve that has been added who did not play last week because of the game falling outside of the international window is Bath’s Josh Bayliss.
There is a heavy flavour of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship team, Glasgow, in the Scotland starting team.
There are eight players lining up against the Boks who were part of the group that won the URC last season and which lost to the Hollywoodbets Sharks but beat the DHL Stormers on their recent South African tour.
There are four Edinburgh players in the starting team, three of them in the forwards, and a further four Glasgow Warriors and one Edinburgh player on the bench.
Townsend has gone for a six/two split between forwards and backs on the bench, presumably in an effort to blunt what he would have expected from Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
However, he would have selected his bench before Erasmus unveiled his radical seven/one split that will be deployed for this first game of a Bok tour that will also take in games against England in London and Wales in Cardiff.
Scotland team: Tom Jordan (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Finn Russell (Bath), Ben White (Toulon), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Dylan Richardson (Hollywoodbets Sharks), RorySutherland (Glasgow Warriors), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors).
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