Kyle Steyn starts for Scotland against All Blacks instead of Duhan van der Merwe

Duhan van der Merwe, Jamie Ritchie and Zander Fagerson are all notable absentees from Scotland‘s 23 for Saturday’s Murrayfield showdown with New Zealand.

All three have been regular starters for Gregor Townsend in recent seasons.

While prop Fagerson was in a well-documented battle to be fit after being sidelined by injury since early April, joint record scorer Van der Merwe and former Scotland captain Ritchie are not injured and have simply been overlooked for selection.

Glasgow wing Kyle Steyn starts instead of Van der Merwe, who notched a double against the United States last weekend.

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Recovered

Edinburgh prop D’Arcy Rae will start at tighthead in Fagerson’s absence and versatile Glasgow forward Gregor Brown, whose most recent starts for Scotland have come in the second row, will line up at blindside flanker in place of Perpignan back-rower Ritchie.

Rory Hutchinson of Northampton will make a rare start at centre, with Huw Jones sidelined until the new year.

Forwards Elliot Millar Mills and Rory Darge have recovered from recent injuries and take their places among the substitutes as the Scots bid for their first-ever win over the All Blacks.

Scotland team

B Kinghorn (Toulouse), D Graham (Edinburgh), R Hutchinson (Northampton), S Tuipulotu (Glasgow), K Steyn (Glasgow), F Russell (Bath), B White (Toulon); P Schoeman (Edinburgh), E Ashman (Edinburgh), D Rae (Edinburgh), S Cummings (Glasgow), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh), G Brown (Glasgow), M Fagerson (Glasgow), J Dempsey (Glasgow).

Replacements: G Turner (Harlequins), R Sutherland (Glasgow), E Millar Mills (Northampton), M Sykes (Edinburgh), R Darge (Glasgow), J Bayliss (Bath), J Dobie (Glasgow), T Jordan (Bristol).

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