Tuipulotu to captain Scotland in Autumn Nations Series

Sione Tuipulotu will lead Scotland into The Famous Grouse Nations Series next month, after the centre was named as captain of a 45-man playing group for the upcoming Test matches at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

The 27-year-old – who has captained Glasgow Warriors twice in the club’s five matches to date this season – is one of 19 Warriors selected by Head Coach Gregor Townsend, the defending BKT URC champions once again contributing more players than any other club to the Scotland setup.

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There’s also a first senior international call-up for Tom Jordan, the fly-half/centre – who was the only Warrior to feature in all 26 of the club’s matches in the 2023/24 season – selected in the squad ahead of qualifying on residency next month.

Alex Samuel joins Jordan in earning the opportunity to compete for a senior international debut, with the second-rower included after being involved in every Glasgow Warriors match to date this campaign.

All three of the Warriors to have made their debut during the 2024 Skyscanner Summer Tour retain their places in the national setup, as Gregor Brown, Max Williamson and Nathan McBeth are all once again included in the playing group.

At the other end of the international experience spectrum, Zander Fagerson is the most-capped Warrior selected by Townsend as the tight-head prepares to add to his 67 caps next month, whilst brother Matt could bring up a half-century of international appearances this November.

Huw Jones – who earned his 50^th cap for Scotland on the summer tour – also brings his international experience to the setup, with fellow centre Stafford McDowall likewise selected amongst the options in the midfield after co-captaining Scotland for the first time against Canada earlier this year.

Two of Glasgow’s summer signings are named in the Scotland setup for the first time since arriving at Scotstoun, as Adam Hastings and Rory Sutherland are each rewarded for their form so far in 2024/25 with selection for the upcoming Tests.

George Horne and Jamie Dobie are both selected in the half-backs, the former having crossed for a brace in Saturday’s clash with the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban.

Kyle Rowe – who was heavily involved in both of Horne’s scores, as well as having crossed twice himself in the win over Cardiff earlier this month – completes the cohort of Glasgow backs named in the squad, whilst Jamie Bhatti and Scott Cummings are both selected after consistently excelling in the tight-five.

A pair of back-row standouts complete the cohort of Warriors, as Jack Dempsey is named alongside Rory Darge, the club’s top tackler this season to date with 78 in five matches.

Scotland open their The Famous Grouse Nations Series campaign next weekend, as the men in blue welcome Fiji to Scottish Gas Murrayfield before Tests against South Africa, Portugal and Australia on consecutive weekends.

The Famous Grouse Autumn Nations Series Squad (caps in brackets):

Forwards (26)

Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (19)
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (7)
Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (3)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (39)
Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (11)
Alex Craig – Scarlets (4)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (22) VICE-CAPTAIN
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (20)
Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (47)
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (67)
Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (72)
Patrick Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (2)
Ewan Johnson – Oyonnax (3)
Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (2)
Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (5)
Ben Muncaster – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Darcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (1)
Dylan Richardson – The Sharks (3)
Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (51)
Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (34)
Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (32)
Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (4)

Backs (19)

Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (6)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (39)
Adam Hastings – Glasgow Warriors (30)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (32)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (7)
Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (50)
Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (53)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (5)
Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
Ali Price – Edinburgh Rugby (67)
Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (2)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (7)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (80) VICE-CAPTAIN
Mosese Tuipulotu – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (27) CAPTAIN
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (41)
Ben White – Toulon (22)

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