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Find your Sport Nation frequencyAll Blacks name side for Murrayfield Test
Reuters • November 6th, 2026 6:00 am
Jordie Barrett is back in black for New Zealand in the Nations Championship match against Scotland | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
The All Blacks have made two changes to their starting line-up for Saturday's (local time) Nations Championship clash versus Scotland after a rampant performance in the Bledisloe Cup against Australia last month.
Ethan de Groot is restored to the front row at loosehead in place of George Bower, while Jordie Barrett returns from injury at centre in place of Timoci Tavatavanawai.
Bower and Tavatavanawai are named among the replacements, where there are three other changes from the 43-21 win over Australia in Sydney on October 17 with Asafo Aumua, Christian Lio-Willie and German-born Anton Segner called in.
Scotland named a full-strength side, making wholesale changes from their last outing.
Only Gregor Brown, who moves from the back of the scrum to the second row, and prop Rory Sutherland remain from the starting XV in Scotland's last Test against Fiji in mid-July when they won 33-17.
Scotland's Australian-born captain Sione Tuipulotu returns to lead them against the All Blacks | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
Coach Gregor Townsend had some tough selection calls and picked British & Irish Lion Huw Jones to make a comeback from injury alongside captain Sione Tuipulotu at centre, while Kyle Rowe got the nod for fullback ahead of Blair Kinghorn
New Zealand are unbeaten in 33 Tests against Scotland, with 31 wins and two draws.
Elsewhere, Fiji have selected former England international Nathan Hughes for their Nations Championship clash against France in Lyon on Saturday, the second game in charge for new coach Jake White.
The Fijian-born No. 8 Hughes, 35, won 22 caps for England between 2016 and 2019.
Wales coach Steve Tandy was on the defensive after picking a record nine players stationed outside the country for their tie with Japan. All nine, plus three of the replacements, play in England.
Attack coach Mike Blair on how All Blacks are preparing for Scotland | Sport Nation
The selection represents a huge change since the 60-cap rule was lowered to 25 caps in February 2023 for players to remain eligible to play for Wales.
"Ultimately it doesn't matter where they play, it'll be the best players selected," said Wales boss Tandy.
"It shows that our players are in demand and that other leagues value them.
"Of course, I'd love every Welsh player to be based in Wales, but that's not the reality of the current situation.
Wales also face New Zealand and Australia in this round of fixtures.
Japan coach Eddie Jones has handed a debut to Riku Kitahara against Wales as part of a halfback pairing with co-captain Naoto Saito.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada made 10 changes, mostly enforced by injuries, when he named his side to face South Africa in Saturday's Nations Championship fixture in Turin. Flanker Samuele Locatelli will make his debut.
All Blacks v Scotland
Sunday, 3.10am (NZ Time) at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
ALL BLACKS (15-1): Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Josh Moorby, Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard, Wallace Sititi, Peter Lakai, Tupou Vaa’i, Fabian Holland, Scott Barrett, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor (c), Ethan de Groot.
Bench: Asafo Aumua, George Bower, Pasilio Tosi, Christian Lio-Willie, Anton Segner, Cortez Ratima, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Rieko Ioane.
SCOTLAND (15-1): Kyle Rowe, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (c), Jamie Dobie, Finn Russell, Ben White, Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, Scott Cummings,Gregor Brown, Zander Fagerson, Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland.
Bench: Gregor Hiddleston, Pierre Schoeman, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, George Horne, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn.
