Why Duhan van der Merwe has been dropped by Scotland for All Blacks - 'all you ask'

The Glasgow Warriors winger has been given the nod ahead of van der Merwe for Saturday’s sold-out clash at Murrayfield.

Also missing is Zander Fagerson who has failed to recover in time from a knee injury, meaning D’arcy Rae continues at tighthead prop. Rory Darge, who has also been out with a knee issue, is fit enough for a place on the bench.

It is the absence of van der Merwe, though, that is the biggest talker. The Edinburgh winger won his 50th cap in last weekend’s 85-0 annihilation of the United States and scored two tries to take his total for Scotland to 34. He is the men’s side’s joint highest try-scorer of all time with Darcy Graham.

But while Graham will start on the right wing against the All Blacks there is no place in the match-day 23 for van der Merwe, with Steyn preferred on the left.

“It's really [about] rewarding Kyle's form this season, and probably since he came back from injury after the Six Nations,” said Townsend. “[He was] very good on the summer tour, but really it's about this season. We know that not all of our players have been able to play a number of games leading into this tournament, but Kyle's been consistently strong in all aspects of his game, so he's earned this opportunity.”

How van der Merwe reacted to news

Excellent under the high ball and stronger defensively than van der Merwe, Steyn has had to be patient at times during his Scotland career, with the two Edinburgh wingers tending to be favoured for selection when fit. He now gets the chance against one of the game’s giants and a team Scotland have never beaten in the 120-year history of the fixture.

Townsend said van der Merwe had taken the news on the chin. “He was actually okay,” said the coach. “The first time Duhan has been dropped from the Scotland team, the first time I've had to drop him. I get on really well with Duhan. It was a brilliant occasion last week for him with his 50th. You could see how emotional he was with that. He's really connected with the staff and the players.

“Of course he'd be disappointed, but he's trained well this week, and that's all you ask for players, to park the disappointment and get behind the team that's selected at the weekend.”

The absence of Zander Fagerson, while expected, is likely to be more of a concern for Townsend. The coach has regularly referenced his “world class” abilities but Scotland will have to contest the scrum without the 75-times capped tighthead.

“This time last week, I thought he'd be available because he trained on the Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Townsend. “While we managed him at training, he did live tackling, he did scrummaging, he carried the ball really well. As coaches, we're thinking ‘he's going to be available, isn't he?’ But his knee just wasn't 100 per cent right. He's improved again since then, but the medics have decided to hold things back a week or two. That's all it'll take. We still believe he'll play some part in this series, but not this weekend.”

With Fagerson unavailable, opportunity knocks for Rae whose international career has been something of a slow burn. He was part of Townsend’s first ever Scotland squad for the 2017 summer tour but had to wait another two years to make his debut - off the bench - against Ireland in the 2019 Six Nations. He won his second cap in the autumn clash with Fiji last year, again as a replacement, and then made his first Scotland start in last weekend’s win over the USA. This game will be just his fourth for the national side.

Edinburgh front row buoys Townsend

His inclusion alongside loosehead Pierre Schoeman and hooker Ewan Ashman means it will be an all-Edinburgh front row that faces the All Blacks. Elliot Millar Mills has recovered from a calf injury and will provide tighthead back-up on the bench where Townsend has opted for a six-two split of forwards and backs.

“I think that the Edinburgh front row have scrummed really well this year,” said the coach. “There's cohesion there. D’arcy played well last weekend. He's an experienced player now. We've got really good news with Elliot Millar Mills. He's been fit to train fully this week. He did a good session last Friday. I feel that we've got one of the strongest benches we've put together. The forwards especially, with that 6-2 split, know that they'll have to make a big impact on Saturday.”

With Darge on the bench, the back-row is an all-Glasgow Warriors affair, with Gregor Brown at six, Matt Fagerson at seven and Jack Dempsey at eight. Townsend thinks it can offer a blend of “physicality, lineout ability with Gregor, and good ball-carriers”. He said he would look to Darge to make a big impact in the second half.

Sione Tuipulotu will captain the team from inside centre and will be partnered by Northampton Saints’ Rory Hutchinson, another who has had to be patient for his opportunities with Scotland. His form in the English Premiership has earned him this chance and Hutchinson will win his 10th cap on Saturday.

Elsewhere, the big guns return after missing the USA game for which Townsend selected home-based players only. Finn Russell and Ben White resume their halfback partnership and Blair Kinghorn is at full-back.

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