By Graham Bean
Three new faces will have their first run-outs in a Scotland jersey in Saturday鈥檚 tour opener against the M膩ori All Blacks in New Zealand. Glasgow Warriors prop Fin Richardson will start at tighthead in the non-cap match in Whang膩rei and there are places on the bench for Fergus Burke, the Saracens stand-off, and Alexander Masibaka, the Montpellier back-rower who played in the French second tier last season for Soyaux Angoul锚me. Stafford McDowall, the experienced Glasgow centre, will captain the Scots, and the game also marks the return of a clutch of players who have not featured for the national side for lengthy spells through injury and other reasons. Into the former category comes Ollie Smith, who is picked at full-back to face the Maori. The Glasgow man has not played for Scotland since the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to a ruptured knee ligament. He is joined in the backline by winger Harry Paterson and centre Rory Hutchinson. It will be Edinburgh鈥檚 Paterson’s first Scotland appearance since last summer鈥檚 tour, while Hutchinson鈥檚 last outing came in the autumn Test against Portugal. Up front, there is a welcome return for Andy Onyeama-Christie and Cam Henderson after long-term injuries. Saracens flanker Onyeama-Christie has not played for Scotland since the 2024 Six Nations following a well publicised ankle fracture and Leicester lock Henderson is back after recovering from an ACL knee rupture. Both men will start on Saturday. George Turner has been named on the bench following his decision to return to the UK to sign for Harlequins. The 45-times capped hooker missed this year鈥檚 Six Nations following his move from Glasgow to Kobe Steelers last summer because the Japanese season clashed. Max Williamson, his former Glasgow team-mate, joins him on the bench after recovering from a broken thumb. Elsewhere, Glasgow Warriors pair Adam Hastings and vice-captain George Horne form the half-back partnership, and Sale鈥檚 Arron Reed starts on the wing. Nathan McBeth and Patrick Harrison, who both made their debuts on last year鈥檚 summer tour, join Richardson in the front row. Josh Bayliss, another vice-captain, and Ben Muncaster are alongside Onyeama-Christie in the back row. The game is the first on Scotland鈥檚 three-match tour which continues with Test matches against Fiji in Suva and Samoa in Auckland. The game against the Maori kicks off 4.35am in the UK and will be live on Sky Sports. Scotland (v M膩ori All Blacks, Semenoff Stadium, Whang膩rei, 4.35am UK time): Ollie Smith; Harry Paterson, Rory Hutchinson, Stafford McDowall (capt), Arron Reed; Adam Hastings, George Horne (vice-capt); Nathan McBeth, Patrick Harrison, Fin Richardson, Marshall Sykes, Cameron Henderson, Josh Bayliss (vice-capt), Andy Onyeama-Christie, Ben Muncaster. Replacements: George Turner, Alec Hepburn, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Gregor Brown, Alexander Masibaka, Fergus Burke, Jamie Dobie.