Scotland host Tonga at Murrayfield on Saturday in their first Test match since their remarkable Six Nations victory over France in March after the ongoing pandemic put paid to any hopes of their summer series matches going ahead.
One positive of this week’s fixture falling outside of World Rugby’s Test window is that Gregor Townsend will at least have the opportunity to expose some promising new talents to Test match footy against this 15th-ranked Tongan outfit.
Rufus McLean (wing), Sione Tuipulotu (centre), Pierre Schoeman (loosehead) and Jamie Hodgson (lock) will all make their debuts for the Brave Hearts this week. Former Bull Schoeman finally gets his shot on the big stage after consistently impressing for Edinburgh since his arrival in 2018.
The uncapped players on the bench are Marshall Sykes (lock), Luke Crosbie (loose forward) and half-backs Jamie Dobie and Ross Thompson.
There is no room for Sharks flanker Dylan Richardson, who was a surprise call up in the squad announced by Townsend for the Autumn internationals. With Tests against the Wallabies, Springboks and Brave Blossoms still to come this November, it remains highly likely that we will see him debut in the weeks ahead.
The likes of regular skipper Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) and maverick flyhalf Finn Russell (Racing 92) have club commitments this week and will sit this one out. In their absence, British & Irish Lion scrumhalf Ali Price and industrious flanker Jamie Ritchie, both of whom will become their side’s first co-captains on Saturday, must put in a proper shift.
A second-string Tonga team was blown away 102-0 by the All Blacks in July before going down 42-13 to Samoa a week later. In what will be just their third Test since the 2019 World Cup, expect the Tongans to offer some brief moments of excitement before ultimately going down.
Verdict: Tonga (+32.5) 9/10
I’ll have a small strike on Tonga to remain within a pretty big cap against a Scottish side who are missing some of their biggest stars.
