Jamie Ritchie to lead Scotland this Autumn

Edinburgh Rugby flanker Jamie Ritchie has been named Scotland captain for the Autumn Nations Series ahead of the matches against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina at BT Murrayfield.

The 26-year-old is current co-captain of Edinburgh and previously led Scotland alongside Ali Price, against Tonga last Autumn, having played for the national team for four years amassing 32 caps.

In the forwards, Ritchie is joined by new call-up Jack Dempsey. The 28-year-old Glasgow Warriors number 8 qualifies for Scotland through his Scottish grandfather. Having previously played 14 matches for Australia, Dempsey has made himself available to play for Scotland under World Rugby’s birthright transfer rules which allows a capped player to switch allegiance to another country they are eligible to play for following a three-year cooling off period.

Fellow Warriors forward Richie Gray has also been called up where he will look to add to his 67 caps with the last of those arriving in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.

Edinburgh Rugby duo WP Nel and Nick Haining have returned to the squad having featured in this year’s Guinness Six Nations but having missed out on selection for the summer tour.

In the backs, Gloucester Rugby’s Chris Harris and Adam Hastings are included after the latter was ruled out of the tour to Argentina through injury at the last minute.

Blair Kinghorn and Ross Thompson have been included in the squad once again and will join Hastings in the battle for the number 10 jersey.

Exeter Chiefs full-back Stuart Hogg returns to the squad and so too does Cameron Redpath of Bath Rugby, who featured against Wales in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations before picking up an injury that ruled him out of the championship.

Stafford McDowall is the only uncapped player in the backs and earns his call-up after impressing at Glasgow Warriors.

Scotland will open their Autumn Nations Series account against Australia on Saturday 29 October when they take on the Wallabies for the second year in a row after defeating them 15-13 last autumn thanks, in part, to a debut Ewan Ashman try. Scotland will only be able to select their home-based players for this fixture due to the match falling outside the international window.

Next up will be Fiji who Scotland last played in 2018, when Adam Hastings scored his first try for Scotland in a thrilling 54-17 victory.

On Sunday 13 November the All Blacks will visit BT Murrayfield in what is an eagerly anticipated match with the two sides having last faced each other in 2017, when Scotland were narrowly defeated 22-17.

The series will finish with a match against familiar foes Argentina when Scotland will be looking to end the year with a victory having been defeated 2-1 in the dying moments of the three-Test summer tour.

Scotland Autumn Nations Series Squad

Forwards

Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 4 caps
Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) 3 caps
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 22 caps
Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) 7 caps
Andy Christie (Saracens) 3 caps
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 23 caps
Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 24 caps
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 50 caps
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 55 caps
Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) 69 caps
Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 67 caps
Nick Haining (Edinburgh Rugby) 11 caps
WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 48 caps
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – CAPTAIN – 32 caps
Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 12 caps
Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 22 caps
Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 20 caps
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 27 caps
Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 51 caps

Backs

Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby) 27 caps
Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 29 caps
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 36 caps
Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) 26 caps
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 93 caps
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 17 caps
Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 34 caps
Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 54 caps
Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 2 caps
Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 19 caps
Ben White (London Irish) 6 caps