Debut set for Liam McConnell as Scotland rotate for USA tie

Edinburgh forward Liam McConnell will make his Scotland debut on Saturday in the autumn Test against the United States at Murrayfield.

The 21-year-old flanker starts in a squad rotated heavily by head coach Gregor Townsend due to club-based player availability. Meanwhile, winger Duhan van der Merwe will win his 50th cap for Scotland.

Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall will lead Scotland as captain for this match. McConnell joins a revamped back-row including Dylan Richardson and Jack Dempsey.

In the forwards, front-rowers Patrick Harrison and D’Arcy Rae start, with Rae making his first Scotland appearance. On the bench, Edinburgh hooker Harri Morris is poised to make his first cap.

Townsend has opted for a largely Scotland-based squad this weekend, bypassing players from English and French clubs who will return for subsequent tests.

Scotland XV: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Ollie Smith, 12 Stafford McDowall (c), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Dylan Richardson, 6 Liam McConnell, 5 Marshall Sykes, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Patrick Harrison, 1 Rory Sutherland

Reserves: 16 Harri Morris, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Murphy Walker, 19 Alex Samuel, 20 Max Williamson, 21 Magnus Bradbury, 22 George Horne, 23 Ross Thompson