Grant Gilchrist and Pierre Schoeman have withdrawn from the Scotland squad to face England in Saturday’s Six Nations meeting at Murrayfield, while British and Irish Lions trio Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe are once again without a place in the starting XV.
Head coach Gregor Townsend has responded to Italy’s 18-15 opening defeat with four changes to the forward roster.
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George Turner takes over from the injured Ewan Ashman at hooker, while former captain Jamie Ritchie replaces Matt Fagerson in the back-row.
Nathan McBeth started, with Glasgow Warriors team-mate Gregor Brown sealing the win.
This brings the number of players in the squad from the United Rugby Championship leaders to 10, with a further four substitutes.
David Cherry provides cover for Hooker on the bench and is joined by Edinburgh winger Graham, while Kinghorn and Van der Merwe are completely absent.
Van der Merwe is his country’s record goalscorer with six goals against England, including a hat-trick in 2024 when the two teams last met at Murrayfield.
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England kicked off the World Cup with a 48-7 home victory over Wales.
Scotland lost 16-15 in London last year and had won each of their previous four meetings with England.
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Scotland will face England
Scotland: Jordan, Steyn, Jones, Tupulotu (captain), Dobie, Russell, White; McBeth, Turner, Z. Fagerson, Brown, Cummings, Ritchie, Dutch, Dempsey.
Alternatives: Cherry, Schoeman, Miller-Mills, Williamson, M Fagerson, Horn, Hastings, Graham.
