Hogg and Gray set to face All Blacks

By Mark Stevens
11/11/22

Exeter Chiefs duo Stuart Hogg and Jonny Gray have both been named in Scotland’s squad for Sunday’s Autumn International against New Zealand at BT Murrayfield (2:15pm).

Having both featured in last week’s win over Fiji, Hogg retains his place at full-back, whilst Gray has again been named amongst the replacements.

Head coach Gregor Townsend, however, has made three changes in personnel with hooker Fraser Brown, fly-half Finn Russell and centre Sione Tuipulotu all coming into the starting XV which features seven Scotland players who faced the All Blacks back in 2017.

Russell links up with half-back partner Ali Price, as they did in 2017, with Tuipulotu at inside centre and Chris Harris at outside centre.

The back three from last weekend’s 28-12 win over Fiji are retained with Hogg lining up with Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe on the wings.

In the pack Fraser Brown makes his first appearance of the Autumn series at hooker, alongside Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson in the front row.

The back five in the pack returns from the Fiji fixture with Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist in the second row in front of a back-row of Captain, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson.

Russell gets his chance after an injury to Adam Hastings last time out and Townsend, who previously voiced concerns about the 30-year-old's "form and consistency", praised his attitude following his recall.

"Finn's been excellent," said Townsend, when asked how the fly-half had slotted back into the international set-up for the first time since March.

"He's got other things going on in his life which are very important - his partner Emma is close to giving birth - but he's been very professional. He's trained well, he's led the attack very well."

Townsend explained that his return to international prominence is down to a combination of Hastings' injury and his own upturn in form in recent weeks.

"I think I mentioned when I announced the squad that he had been playing better in the two weeks before we announced it," he said.

"But, at the time, Blair had played in the summer tour for us and been playing well for Edinburgh and also Adam Hastings has been outstanding for Gloucester this season."

SCOTLAND SQUAD TO FACE NEW ZEALAND

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 94 caps
14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 31 caps
13. Chris Harris – Vice Captain – (Gloucester Rugby) 37 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 21 caps
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) 63 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 56 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 14 caps
2. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 55 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 52 caps
4. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 68 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist – (Edinburgh Rugby) 57 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie – (Edinburgh Rugby, capt) 34 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 53 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 26 caps

16. Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 5 caps
17. Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 21 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 49 caps
19. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) 70 caps
20. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps
21. Ben White (London Irish) 7 caps
22. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 36 caps
23. Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby) 28 caps