Burgeoning back-rower Liam McConnell will make his Scotland debut and record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe will win his 50th cap after the Edinburgh pair were selected to start in Saturday’s Test against USA at Murrayfield.
With English and French-based players like Finn Russell, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn and Ben White unavailable for selection until the following weekend, head coach Gregor Townsend has opted for an experimental line-up, interspersed with senior players like Van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Jack Dempsey and Scott Cummings.
Edinburgh front-rowers Paddy Harrison and D’Arcy Rae will win their fourth and third caps respectively in a pack featuring 21-year-old blindside flanker McConnell, who was rewarded with a maiden call-up after starting four of his club’s five United Rugby Championship matches this term.
With Sione Tuipulotu being kept in reserve for next weekend’s match against New Zealand, his fellow Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall will captain the side.
Scrum-half Jamie Dobie and lock Cummings have been named as vice-captains.
Edinburgh hooker Harri Morris will have the chance to win his first cap off the bench, while Edinburgh captain Magnus Bradbury is in line for his first cap since the summer of 2022 after being listed among the substitutes.
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 30, 2025
Scotland team to play USA
Forwards: 1 Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), 2 Patrick Harrison (Edinburgh Rugby), 3 D'Arcy Rae (Edinburgh Rugby), 4 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), 5 Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh Rugby), 6 Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby)*, 7 Dylan Richardson (Edinburgh Rugby), 8 Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors)
Backs: 9 Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), 10 Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), 11 Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), 12 Stafford McDowall (Captain, Glasgow Warriors), 13 Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors), 14 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), 15 Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors)
Replacements: 16 Harri Morris (Edinburgh Rugby)*, 17 Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), 18 Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors), 19 Alex Samuel (Glasgow Warriors), 20 Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors), 21 Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby), 22 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), 23 Ross Thompson (Edinburgh Rugby)
* Denotes uncapped player