Scottish rugby union coach and former player, Scotland head coach since 2017
New Zealand has maintained its long unbeaten run against Scotland with a 43-21 Nations Championship win at Murrayfield. Scotland led 21-24 at half-time but were unable to score in the second half as the All Blacks tightened defensively and added three tries. Ewan Ashman’s first-half hat-trick could not prevent defeat as Scotland prepare for next week’s clash with the Wallabies.
Wales hosts Japan as part of the inaugural Nations Championship; Scotland meets New Zealand at Murrayfield in a marquee clash; the Nations League shapes World Cup qualification. The schedule includes Wales’ autumn fixtures in Cardiff and Scotland’s clash at Murrayfield, with finals weekend in Twickenham.
Edinburgh's Freddy Douglas has emerged as a standout in the URC, driving turnovers and drawing praise as a world-class presence in the jackaling game. He starred against Ulster and contributed to a hard-won win over the Stormers, with the squad built around a youthful core.
Jamie Ritchie could make his Glasgow Warriors debut this weekend after a long injury lay-off. The Scotland back row has trained fully and is in line to feature against Benetton in Treviso, with coaches emphasising patience and timing in his comeback.
Scotland has moved up in the world rankings and will host New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Murrayfield next month as part of Finals Weekend, with a further fixture to be announced. Townsend’s side are preparing for the 2027 Rugby World Cup with warm-up matches including a potential home-and-away against France.
Scotland has named a 37-man squad for the Nations Championship phase, led by Townsend. The selection prioritizes experience, with returns for Huw Jones and Blair Kinghorn, and the introduction of Ollie Leatherbarrow. Scotland will host New Zealand, Australia and Japan at Murrayfield before Finals Weekend at Twickenham.
England faces a selection rethink as scrum-half Alex Mitchell is ruled out of the Nations Championship due to a hamstring injury. Northampton’s Archie McParland is also sidelined, prompting Ben Spencer or Harry Randall to join Jack van Poortvliet on the bench for the Australia clash. Fin Smith’s calf recovery is also in focus.