Gregor Townsend has named a 36-man squad for Scotland’s Pacific Tour, with clashes against the Maori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa looming large.
With Finn Russell and Sione Tuipulotu touring with the British and Irish Lions this summer, flanker Rory Darge has been selected as captain.
Uncapped trio included in Scotland squad
Darge co-captained Scotland along with Russell in the last two Six Nations Championships and will lead the squad that features several returnees.
Saracens flanker Andy Onyeama-Christie returns from an ankle injury he sustained last October while hooker George Turner comes back into the fold after missing the last year of international rugby following his move to Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan.
The 45-Test cap front-rower has since signed with Premiership club Harlequins ahead of next season.
Townsend has included three uncapped players in the squad in the form of fly-half Fergus Burke, back-rower Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson.
Burke and Masibaka trained with Scotland during the Six Nations while Richardson has national team experience, having travelled out to Chile and Uruguay on last year’s summer tour.
The other returnees include Arron Reed, Max Williamson, Alec Hepburn, Nathan McBeth and Rory Sutherland.
Glasgow Warriors back-rower Matt Fagerson has also been selected as he continues his recovery from injury.
Scotland kick-off their tour with a match against the Māori All Blacks on Saturday, July 5 and will be the first time the sides have met since 2000.
It will be just the third match between the Māori and Scotland with the other game coming at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 1998.
That will be followed by a clash with Fiji – the match marking Scotland’s first game on Fijian soil since 2017.
Townsend’s charges finish their tour on Friday, July 18 when Scotland take on Samoa in Auckland, New Zealand, at the iconic Eden Park.
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Scotland touring squad
Backs (15): Fergus Burke, Matt Currie, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Tom Jordan, Cameron Redpath, Stafford McDowall, Harry Paterson, Arron Reed, Kyle Rowe, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Ben White
Forwards (21): Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Gregor Brown, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (c), Grant Gilchrist, Patrick Harrison, Cameron Henderson, Alec Hepburn, Will Hurd, Alexander Masibaka, Nathan McBeth, Elliot Millar Mills, Ben Muncaster, Andy Onyeama-Christie, Fin Richardson, Jamie Ritchie, Rory Sutherland, Marshall Sykes, George Turner, Max Williamson
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