McDowall to captain Scotland in summer tour opener

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Scotland's Stafford McDowall runs through to score the second try of the match during The Famous Grouse Nations Series match between Scotland and Portugal at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, on November 16, 2024, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

The centre dons the number 13 jersey for the non-capped fixture, in what will be his sixth consecutive appearance in Scotland colours after featuring in all five of Scotland’s Guinness Six Nations matches earlier this year.

Elsewhere, Ollie Smith will pull on a Scotland shirt for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being named at full-back, the Marr RFC product having caught the eye in the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign following his return from a long-term knee injury.

Fin Richardson starts at tight-head for the first time, as he continues to push for a senior Scotland debut after an impressive debut campaign in Glasgow colours.

An all-Glasgow half-back combination sees George Horne and Adam Hastings link up at nine and 10 respectively, the former also serving as one of McDowall’s vice-captains for the fixture.

Nathan McBeth joins Richardson in the front row to make his first Scotland appearance since last summer’s tour of the Americas, the loose-head having scored in four successive fixtures for the Warriors earlier in 2025.

Max Williamson and Gregor Brown provide cover in the loose forwards amongst the replacements, the pair – like McBeth – having made their senior Scotland debuts on the 2024 summer tour.

Jamie Dobie rounds out the Glasgow cohort, providing cover at scrum-half and on the wing in a six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench.

Scotland get their summer tour underway this Saturday, with the match live on Sky Sports and kicking off at 4.35am UK time.