Australia-born back row Jack Dempsey is set for his first Scotland start after appearing in all three of their Autumn Nations Series matches off the bench so far; Jonny Gray replaces suspended brother Richie in the second row; Kick-off at Murrayfield is at 3.15pm Saturday
Thursday 17 November 2022 15:25, UK
Jack Dempsey will make his first start for Scotland as Gregor Townsend’s side face Argentina in their Autumn Nations Series finale on Saturday.
The Glasgow Warriors back row has featured off the bench in all three of Scotland's matches so far this autumn, making his debut in the narrow defeat to the nation of his birth Australia, and will now get an opportunity to show what he can do from the start against the Pumas.
Dempsey, 28, lines up at No 8 for the clash at Murrayfield, with Matt Fagerson moving to blindside flanker and skipper Jamie Ritchie shifting across to openside in the injury-enforced absence of Hamish Watson.
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A concussion sustained in last Saturday's 31-23 defeat to New Zealand has ruled Watson out, with prop Rory Sutherland sidelined by a knee injury and Richie Gray beginning a three-match suspension after being cited for foul play against the All Blacks.
Gray's brother Jonny replaces him in the second row alongside vice-captain Grant Gilchrist, but otherwise head coach Townsend has gone with an unchanged starting XV.
There are further changes on the replacements bench though, with hooker George Turner and props Jamie Bhatti and Murphy Walker coming in for Ewan Ashman, WP Nel and the injured Sutherland.
There is also the prospect of Andy Christie making his first appearance of this Autumn Nations Series, while Glen Young and Cameron Redpath return among the replacement options for Townsend.
Meanwhile, Julian Montoya returns to captain Argentina in one of four changes from last weekend's 20-13 defeat to Wales.
Montoya had been named to play against Wales last week but then withdrew with a rib injury but will be back to lead the side up against the Scots, who they narrowly defeated in July in a three-match series in Argentina.
Also in the front row, Eduardo Bello is in for Francisco Gomez Kodela while Matias Orlando replaces Matias Moroni at outside centre and Bautista Delguy takes over from Mateo Carreras on the wing.
Veteran fly-half Nicolas Sanchez is back among the replacements for a possible first outing since tearing a calf muscle in the opening 20 minutes of Argentina's 26-18 first test win over Scotland in July.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg; 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Fraser Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Jonny Gray, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Matt Fagerson, 7 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 8 Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Murphy Walker, 19 Glen Young, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Ben White, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Cameron Redpath.
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia; 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli; 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou; 1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 3 Eduardo Bello, 4 Matias Alemanno, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Matias Moroni.
