Overview
- Joint-record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe is left out of Scotland's 23, with Kyle Steyn starting on the wing at Murrayfield on Saturday.
- Gregor Townsend explains the decision as form-based, praising Steyn's consistent all-round play since returning from injury.
- Tighthead prop Zander Fagerson is unavailable after failing to prove full fitness, so D'Arcy Rae starts with Ewan Ashman and Pierre Schoeman in the front row.
- Former captain Jamie Ritchie also misses out as Scotland lean on cohesion with a Glasgow back-row of Gregor Brown, Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey.
- Scotland go with a 6–2 bench split — George Turner, Rory Sutherland, Elliot Millar Mills, Marshall Sykes, Rory Darge and Josh Bayliss, plus Jamie Dobie and Tom Jordan — to face a New Zealand side captained by Ardie Savea after injuries to Scott and Jordie Barrett.