Muncaster to debut as six selected to face Portugal

14 Nov 2024

Ben Muncaster makes his Scotland debut as one of six Edinburgh players selected for Saturday’s test match against Portugal at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, the third match of The Famous Grouse Nations Series.

Muncaster has been involved in the squad previously, playing for Scotland A against Chile during the 2022 summer tour, with the back-row handed a start at openside.

Darcy Graham – who suffered a concussion after scoring four tries in the opening Test against Fiji – returns to the starting line-up having successfully progressed through graduated return to play protocol.

Graham [28] is currently one try behind clubmate Duhan van der Merwe [29] on Scotland’s all-time list of international try-scorers.

In the pack, Paddy Harrison makes his first start at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, adding to the two caps the hooker picked up on the recent summer tour to The Americas.

Luke Crosbie – named vice-captain for the Test – starts at blindside flanker alongside clubmate Muncaster.

19-year-old academy back-row Freddy Douglas could make his Scotland debut from the bench, and would become Scotland men’s youngest debutant since Donald White in 1963.

The powerful back-rower represented Scotland U18 just 18 months ago in the 2023 U18 Six Nations Festival, and joined the Scottish Rugby Academy aligned to Edinburgh Rugby in the summer of 2023.

He has featured for Edinburgh A this season, and also represented Scotland U20 in the U20 Six Nations and World Rugby U20 Trophy in 2024. He made the most tackles (77) and breakdown steals (12) in the U20 Six Nations.

Douglas is named on the bench alongside Matt Currie who is set for his first Scotland appearance at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

Scotland to face Portugal at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday 16 November, kick-off 3.10pm, live on TNT Sports

15. Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (2)
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (40)
13. Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (7)
12. Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (7) CAPTAIN
11. Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (2)

10. Adam Hastings – Glasgow Warriors (31)
9. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (32) VICE-CAPTAIN

1. Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34)
2. Patrick Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
3. Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (2)
4. Alex Craig – Scarlets (4)
5. Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
6. Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (11) VICE-CAPTAIN
7. Ben Muncaster – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
8. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (8)

Replacements

16. Johnny Matthews – Glasgow Warriors (1)
17. Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (35)
18. Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (6)
19. Ewan Johnson – Oyonnax (3)
20. Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
21. Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (8)
22. Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
23. Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (8)