Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke will earn his first cap for Scotland this Saturday in Suva, having come off the bench in last weekend’s 26-29 win over the Māori All Blacks.
Burke qualifies for Scotland through his grandad from Edinburgh and got his first call-up earlier this year during the Six Nations. He’ll officially become Scotland Men’s cap number 1235.
Rory Darge takes over from Stafford McDowall as captain for this match, with Kyle Steyn and Grant Gilchrist named as vice-captains.
In the back three, Darcy Graham returns to the wing opposite Steyn, while Kyle Rowe slots in at full-back.
Cameron Redpath is back in the midfield after helping Bath win the Premiership title, and he links up with Tom Jordan in a fresh centre pairing.
Jamie Dobie gets the nod at scrum-half and will combine with debutant Burke in the half-backs.
Up front, Rory Sutherland starts at loosehead, alongside Ewan Ashman at hooker and Elliot Millar Mills at tighthead.
Marshall Sykes—who started last week—holds onto his place in the second row, where he’s joined by the experienced Gilchrist.
Matt Fagerson is back in action at No. 8 for the first time since April, having shaken off an ankle injury. He’s joined in the back row by skipper Darge and Jamie Ritchie, who’s in at blindside flanker.
On the bench, George Turner is back again after returning to the squad last weekend and could earn his first Test cap since March 2024, when Scotland played Italy.
Also among the replacements are props Alec Hepburn and Will Hurd, lock Max Williamson, and last week’s vice-captains Josh Bayliss and George Horne.
Adam Hastings and Ollie Smith round off the bench options.
Scotland: Kyle Rowe, Darcy Graham, Cameron Redpath, Tom Jordan, Kyle Steyn, Fergus Burke, Jamie Dobie; Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman, Elliot Millar Mills, Marshall Sykes, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge (capt), Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: George Turner, Alec Hepburn, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, George Horne, Adam Hastings, Ollie Smith.
11 responses
A very strong team, the backs especially look exciting, but surprised to see Ashman ahead of Turner. I hope Matt Fagerson is fully fit.
You’d think he wouldn’t have been that far away from full fitness to be taken on tour in the first place.
I hope you are right but he had ankle surgery in April & was still in rehab when selected & hasn’t played recently, is he really match fit?
On the Scottish Lions, I see that Cummings and his skinny arms have been denied a last chance to stake a claim for a test 23 spot. Doubt he’ll be able to do much off the bench. Very harsh after his outstanding display last time. Beirne captain again and Ryan both start despite both being poor.
Ben White finally gets minutes but it looks like too little too late with Mitchell in the box seat for a place on the bench.
Think Andy Farrell is trying to ensure that he returns to a harmonious Irish dressing room after this tour with his Irish players getting more of a fair crack than some of ours. Hansen over Darcy and Owen over Jordan both look like pretty bad calls.
Don’t forget calling up Jamie Osborne from Ireland camp in Portugal to cover Kinghorn rather than Jordan from NZ/fiji or Blair Murray from Japan!
Yeah and we haven’t even covered the best one which is calling up his out of form son to replace Elliott Daly even though he doesn’t cover 13 or the back three.
Anyone know why the Scotland v Fiji game kicks off at 5pm local time / 4am BST when a 7pm/8pm local time kick off would have been better temperature wise for the players and for tv audiences in the uk?
I won’t be watching it live but good luck to the team tomorrow/later today. Here’s hoping for a win and no injuries.
Humidity may have played a part . Fiji left a lot of points out there . Burke looked like a great player. Back to the days where I just turn the TV off . You could see where it was going. Pleased for Fiji . They have deserved more for years , pity it was Scotland that took one for the Northern Hemisphere.
Players looked knackered after 20mins. I wonder whether Scotland could have done with giving some of those players a run out against the Māori ABs last week.
Ben O’Keefe seems to have something against Scotland. Some of the penalties were very harsh.
I’m not sure why Scotland were playing so frenetically when it just played into Fiji’s hands. Line out was poor again.
On the plus side, some of the scramble defence was good.
Hopefully no serious injuries.
It’s weird because I remember rating O’Keefe on his first game when he reffed Scotland but ever since then you are right there are just certain things he doesn’t see eye to eye on. Could be a NH vs SH thing?
So Sutherland, Ashman and Graham called up to the Lions. Graham will most probably get a game next Tuesday