Hawick’s Stuart Hogg about to get first start for national rugby team since March

Stuart Hogg at a Scotland open training session this week in Edinburgh (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group/SRU)

Saturday’s autumn test match against Fiji at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium will also be the 30-year-old’s first appearance for his country without the responsibilities of captaincy since fellow Borderer Greig Laidlaw, his predecessor as skipper, oversaw a 28-21 loss to Japan in October 2019 at that year’s Rugby World Cup.

The Exeter full-back’s return is one of six changes to the starting line-up for last Saturday’s 16-15 defeat by Australia made by head coach Gregor Townsend now the international window is open and he’s allowed to select players from outwith Scotland.

Gloucester’s Adam Hastings takes over from Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn at stand-off, with Kinghorn dropping to the bench.

Darcy Graham in action for Scotland against Australia at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group/SRU)

Glasgow Warriors George Turner and Richie Gray, Gloucester’s Chris Harris and Bath’s Cameron Redpath, son of Galashiels-born former Scotland captain Bryan Redpath, also come in.

Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham is the only Borderer besides Hogg in the starting XV but fellow ex-Hawick player Rory Sutherland is among the replacements.

Hogg is currently on 93 caps, with Graham, 25, on 30, and Ulster loosehead prop Sutherland, 30, on 20.

Edinburgh flanker Jamie Ritchie continues as captain and making up the rest of the starting line-up are Duhan van der Merwe, Ali Price, Pierre Schoeman, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson.

Rory Sutherland in action for Scotland during a Guinness Six Nations match versus England at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh in February (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group/SRU)

Also on the substitutes’ bench are Ewan Ashman, Murphy Walker, Jonny Gray, Jack Dempsey, Ben White and Sione Tuipulotu.

Saturday’s game, being broadcast live on Amazon Prime, kicks off at 1pm.

Welcoming Hogg, Scotland’s record try-scorer with 26, back to his squad, Townsend, 49, said: “Stuart did train with us one day last week and then he played on Friday night for Exeter.

“He was full of energy last week and he has been this week.”

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend during an open training session on Tuesday at the Oriam in Edinburgh (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group/SRU)

Warning his players of the challenge Fiji pose, the ex-Gala star added: “They’re big men, the most powerful athletes that we get to play against in rugby.

“They’re very skilful too and we’ve got to watch out and make sure our accuracy is at its highest level because if we’re inaccurate with passing, kicking or contact, they’re going to make breaks against us.”