Borderer Rory Sutherland back in Scotland’s starting XV for Rugby World Cup pool match against Tonga

He’s one of four changes from the side beaten 18-3 by South Africa on Sunday, September 10, made by head coach and fellow former Gala player Gregor Townsend, the other new faces in the Scots’ starting line-up being Chris Harris, Scott Cummings and Kyle Steyn.

It’s only Sutherland’s second international start in 19 months and Townsend, 50, is confident he’ll seize that opportunity to stake a claim for more regular selection, saying: “It’s been an interesting and challenging time for Rory with going down south and then the club that he joined going bust.

“He then did very well over in Ulster, but I know it was a tough time for his family to make one move and then to come back to Scotland while he was over in Ulster, and he’s without a club just now, but I have to say, even with those challenges in the background on and off the field, Rory is the same person and he trains really well.

“He’s had other challenges with injuries and selection. He wasn’t in our 23 for the game against South Africa and he just applies himself so well in training.

“He’s obviously been competing with Pierre Schoeman the last couple of seasons as well and Pierre has been playing really well for us, but he’s now got an opportunity to start and it’s a great opportunity for him to go ‘right, this is what I can do’ from a starting perspective.”

South African-born Steyn, 29, replaces former Hawick winger Darcy Graham, named among the replacements for the Scots’ second pool match.

Former Southern Knight Rory Darge continues at openside flanker, alongside captain Jamie Ritchie at blindside.

Sunday’s game in Nice, kicking off at 4.45pm, will see Sutherland, 31, pick up his 25th cap and Darge, 23, his 13th.

If brought on, it’ll be a 37th international appearance for Graham, 26.

Also in Scotland’s starting line-up to face Tonga – beaten 59-16 by Ireland in their first pool match on Saturday, September 16 – are Blair Kinghorn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ben White, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray and Jack Dempsey.

Joining Graham on the substitutes’ bench are Ewan Ashman, Schoeman, Willem Nel, Sam Skinner, Matt Fagerson, George Horne and Huw Jones.

Having lost their cup opener in France, Scotland are now almost certain to need three wins from their remaining three pool B matches against the Tongans, Romania and Ireland to progress to the last eight.

“We need to get our world cup started,” said Townsend. “You can get your world cup started with your first game but also your first win.

“This is obviously a crucial game for us. It’s our knockout stage now. If we lose a game, we’re out of the tournament, and every game now ahead of us we have to approach it with that mentality.

“We know this is a really important game for us so we’ve put out as strong a team as we can to win it.

“We feel the last 20 minutes are going to be important, so to have players like Darcy Graham, Huw Jones and George Horne coming off the bench to give something different for the Tongan defence could be as important as the guys who get to start.”