It features only one change in the starting XV from the team which ended the 2021 Guinness Six Nations tournament with an historic win against France in Paris, with loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman earning his second cap after injury ruled out Rory Sutherland.

Head Coach Townsend has selected all the available Scottish British & Irish Lions contingent, which sees Stuart Hogg return to Captain the team at full-back in the same back division that started in Paris and will take the field against an Australia side currently ranked third in the world.

Hogg is joined in the back three by Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham and Lion, Duhan van der Merwe.

Glasgow Warriors’ Sam Johnson lines up with Gloucester Rugby’s Chris Harris in the centre with fellow Lions pair, Ali Price and Finn Russell, named as Vice-Captain, continuing their half-back partnership.

In the pack Matt Fagerson starts at number eight with British & Irish Lion Hamish Watson and Co-Captain from the 60-14 win over Tonga last weekend, Jamie Richie, this week named as a Vice-Captain, on the flanks.

Edinburgh Rugby’s Grant Gilchrist packs down alongside Exeter Chiefs’ Sam Skinner in the second row for the first time since the Stade de France victory back in March.

In the front row there is continuity from the Tonga win as Edinburgh Rugby’s Pierre Schoeman joins Glasgow Warriors pair George Turner and Zander Fagerson.

There is the potential for two new caps off the bench with Sale Sharks hooker Ewan Ashman and Bath Rugby back-row forward Josh Bayliss both in line for their Scotland debuts.

In the forwards Glasgow Warriors props Jamie Bhatti and Oli Kebble are selected following their involvement against Tonga, with Edinburgh Rugby’s Jamie Hodgson also part of the matchday squad after winning his first cap last week.

Dynamic half-back pairing George Horne and Adam Hastings are joined as the back options by Kyle Steyn, fresh from his historic four-try player of the match performance against the Tongans.

Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend said: “While there were several positives to take from the win against Tonga we face a very different opponent in Australia this week.

“They are coming into this fixture clearly off the back of good results and full of confidence, so we will need to bring focus, accuracy and aggression for the full 80 minutes.

“We have been able to select an experienced team with the availability of our players outside of Scotland and aim to use the remaining Autumn Nations Series fixtures to build our game through improving week on week.

“This is a great opportunity to test ourselves against an in-form side, who are also one of the leading teams in world rugby.”

Scotland team to play Australia in the 2021 Autumn Nations Series
Sunday 7 November – BT Murrayfield – kick-off 2:15pm

15. Stuart Hogg – Exeter Chiefs – (Captain) – 85 caps

14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 20 caps
13. Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby – 28 caps
12. Sam Johnson – Glasgow Warriors – 19 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Worcester Warriors – 10 caps

10. Finn Russell – Racing 92 – (Vice-Captain) – 55 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors – 43 caps

8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 14 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 42 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby – (Vice-Captain) – 28 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby – 45 caps
4. Sam Skinner – Exeter Chiefs – 12 caps
3. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 39 caps
2. George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 18 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 1 cap

Replacements

16. Ewan Ashman – Sale Sharks – Uncapped
17. Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors – 19 caps
18. Oli Kebble – Glasgow Warriors – 9 caps
19. Jamie Hodgson – Edinburgh Rugby – 1 cap
20. Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby – Uncapped
21. George Horne – Glasgow Warriors – 14 caps
22. Adam Hastings – Gloucester Rugby – 23 caps
23. Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors – 2 caps