Tuipulotu and Russell Return as Scotland Prepare for New Zealand

Captain Sione Tuipulotu and fly-half Finn Russell are both back in Scotland's starting side for Saturday's match against New Zealand at Murrayfield. It is the first of three home games this month, and it is a Nations Championship fixture, part of the international window in November.

Neither player featured in Scotland's last match, a 33-17 win over Fiji in July, according to BBC Sport. Tuipulotu missed the 2025 Six Nations with a pectoral (chest muscle) injury, so his return is a welcome one for the squad. Russell is the fly-half, the player who runs the attack and does much of the kicking.

Head coach Gregor Townsend has made several changes. Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Ben White and Jamie Dobie return to the backs. Dobie came off the bench against Fiji. Up front, six forwards come into the team: Ewan Ashman, Zander Fagerson, Matt Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Jack Dempsey and Rory Darge. Rory Sutherland is the only forward kept from the Fiji win. Darge is vice-captain, the player who takes charge if the captain is off the field.

The forwards are the eight players who contest the scrums and lineouts, the set-piece moments that restart play. Those battles often decide who gets the ball and where the match is played, so the changes in the pack will be watched closely.

New Zealand are captained by Codie Taylor, who leads a side that includes Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan and Scott Barrett in the starting line-up. Their bench features Rieko Ioane.

Scotland have history with this fixture. Last year they lost 17-25 to the All Blacks at Murrayfield, according to Scottish Rugby. They came back from 17-0 behind to draw level at 17-all, before New Zealand won it late on.

Scotland's bench for Saturday includes Blair Kinghorn, Pierre Schoeman and Gregor Hiddleston. Tuipulotu will lead the team through all three home fixtures this month, which also include Australia and Japan in Edinburgh.