Scotland team v New Zealand: Major surprise as key man left out of whole squad

Kyle Steyn has been given the nod to play on the left wing, with Darcy Graham on the right.

Zander Fagerson has failed in his bid to be fit for the game after long-term injuries but Rory Darge has a place on the bench.

In Zander Fagerson’s absence, D’arcy Rae will start at tighthead prop, with the cover on the bench provided by Elliot Millar Mills.

The back-row is made up of Gregor Brown at six, Matt Fagerson at seven and Jack Dempsey at eight.

Van der Merwe made his 50th Scotland appearance in last Saturday’s game against the USA and scored two tries in the 85-0 victory but does not make the 23 for the All Blacks game. Steyn, instead, is rewarded for his fine form this season for Glasgow Warriors.

Graham, who scored a hat-trick against the Americans to draw level with van der Merwe on a record 34 tries for Scotland, retains his place in the back three where Blair Kinghorn comes in at full-back for Kyle Rowe.

Sione Tuipulotu captains the team from inside centre and will be partnered by Northampton Saints’ Rory Hutchinson. Finn Russell and Ben White resume their halfback partnership.

Fagerson fails to recover in time

Zander Fagerson, capped 75 times by Scotland, has not played for seven months but head coach Gregor Townsend had been hoping he would recover in time for the All Blacks clash, the jewel in the crown of Scotland’s autumn programme.

The Glasgow prop injured his calf in training last season, forcing him out of the Lions tour of Australia. He then picked up a knee injury during his recovery. He has not played since the Warriors’ Champions Cup tie against Leicester on April 5 and the decision has been taken to not risk him.

Townsend considers him to be one of the best tightheads in the world but it will be Rae who takes on the All Blacks pack this weekend. The Edinburgh prop made his first start for Scotland against the USA, playing in the first half at Murrayfield.

The rest of the front row is made up of hooker Ewan Ashman and loosehead Pierre Schoeman. Behind them are Scott Cummings and Grant Gilchrist.

Darge, who has been out for six weeks, damaged knee ligaments in Glasgow’s win over the Sharks on the opening day of the URC season. His absence from the starting XV means a back-row reshuffle, with Matt Fagerson moving to the openside role as Brown comes in at six.

Townsend has opted for a six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench. The front-row replacements are hooker George Turner and props Rory Sutherland and Millar Mills. Marshall Sykes covers the second row and Darge and Josh Bayliss the back row. Bayliss is versatile enough to also play in the backs in an emergency.

Jamie Dobie and Tom Jordan are the two orthodox backs on the bench and, between them, can cover a variety of positions.

There are 11 changes in total to the team which started against the US. Scotland have never beaten New Zealand in 32 attempts.

Scotland team to play New Zealand

15 Blair Kinghorn; 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (c), 11 Kyle Steyn; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 4 Scott Cummings, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Gregor Brown, 7 Matt Fagerson, 8 Jack Dempsey. Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan.