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Tuipulotu named Scotland captain

Scotland's captain for next month's Autumn series will be Sione Tuipulotu.

Picture: AAP Image

Gregor Townsend has appointed the Glasgow centre to the role ahead of Rory Darge and Finn Russell, who skippered the team on a joint basis in the Six Nations earlier this year.

Darge and Russell have been listed as vice-captains for the four Murrayfield Tests against Fiji, South Africa, Portugal and Australia.

Townsend has selected five uncapped players in his 45-man group, with Glasgow pair Alex Samuel and Tom Jordan joined by Edinburgh trio Ben Muncaster, Freddy Douglas and Mosese Tuipulotu, the brother of Sione.

Edinburgh stand-off Ben Healy has been left out after a difficult start to the season at club level, with Jordan preferred alongside the more experienced fly-half duo of Russell and Adam Hastings.

Edinburgh forward D'Arcy Rae and Northampton back Rory Hutchinson have been recalled to the squad, while talismanic wing Darcy Graham is back in the mix for the first time since last year's World Cup after recovering from injury.

As expected, there is no place in the squad for veteran forwards George Turner and Richie Gray, who have effectively ruled themselves out of contention for selection by moving from Glasgow to Japan.

Meanwhile, Caelan Doris will captain Ireland in an Autumn Nations Series that begins against New Zealand on November 8.

Back-row forward Doris led Ireland to a Guinness Six Nations victory over Italy earlier this year and the second Test win against world champions South Africa in July.

After hosting the All Blacks, Ireland then face Argentina and Fiji before concluding their November schedule against Australia.

"It is an enormous honour to be named Ireland captain, and I am excited about leading the squad into battle over the coming weeks," said Doris, who is likely to be a strong British and Irish Lions captaincy contender in Australia next summer.

"I am extremely proud to lead this squad, and I know that there is an experienced group of leaders who will work hard to achieve success in the weeks ahead."

Elsewhere, wing Mack Hansen is back in the squad after a shoulder injury meant he missed last season's Six Nations and the South Africa tour, while regular skipper Peter O'Mahony has also been included as he continues his recovery from hamstring trouble.

And head coach Andy Farrell has named two uncapped players among a 35-player squad in Ulster lock Cormac Izuchukwu and Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast, who both recently featured for Emerging Ireland.

Hooker Dan Sheehan and back-row forward Jack Conan, though, miss out due to injury.

Farrell said: "The challenge that awaits us this November is one of the toughest we could face.

"There is a blend of youth and experience, but all of the players are selected on merit carried from their form in recent months from the summer tour, the early rounds of the URC (United Rugby Championship) and at the Emerging Ireland tour.

"While some of the players have been sidelined of late, collectively they are making positive strides on the injury front and we are hopeful that they will come into the selection frame over the course of the coming weeks as they ramp up their respective rehab programmes.

"The Emerging Ireland tours have presented a crop of less experienced players with the opportunity to impress, and it was great to see a number of them take their chance."

 

 


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