Burke to win first Scotland cap in Fiji test
Saracens flyhalf Fergus Burke will win his first Scotland cap on Saturday after being named in the starting line-up to face Fiji in Suva, while coach Gregor Townsend is also able to welcome back two stalwarts.
Matt Fagerson, selected at No. 8, will make his first appearance since April after recovering from an ankle injury while Kyle Steyn is back on the wing for the first time in almost a year after a series of injury setbacks.
The team have been given a major overhaul from the side that posted an impressive win over the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei last Saturday. Burke came on as a replacement in that game, but no caps were awarded.
The former New Zealand under-20 international qualifies for Scotland through his grandfather.
Rory Darge will captain the side for the first time on the tour, with Steyn and Grant Gilchrist named as vice-captains, it was announced on Thursday.
In the midfield, Cameron Redpath will play his first game since winning the English Premiership with Bath and forms a new-look centre partnership with Tom Jordan.
Jamie Dobie is named at scrumhalf to link up with Burke on debut.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties
Singapore Proposed new law protecting Singaporeans' genetic data to be strengthened: Ong Ye Kung
Asia Dr Mahathir at 100: Still haunted by the Malay Dilemma
Singapore HDB flats less attainable in 2024 compared with 2022: Report
World 'Do some homework': 6 key exchanges between US Senator Duckworth and S'pore envoy nominee Sinha
World Trump's ambassador nominee to Singapore Anjani Sinha has a rough day at Senate hearing
Multimedia 60 objects to mark SG60: Which is your favourite?
Singapore NDP 2025: Diamond formations, 'multi-axis' fly-past to headline parade's aerial display
The test is the second game on Scotland's Pacific tour. Next weekend, they will take on Samoa in Auckland.
Scotland are missing eight players who are in Australia with the British & Irish Lions.
Team: 15-Kyle Rowe, 14-Darcy Graham, 13-Cameron Redpath, 12-Tom Jordan, 11-Kyle Steyn, 10-Fergus Burke, 9-Jamie Dobie, 8-Matt Fagerson, 7-Rory Darge (captain), 6-Jamie Ritchie, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Marshall Sykes, 3-Elliot Millar Mills, 2-Ewan Ashman, 1-Rory Sutherland
Replacements: 16-George Turner, 17-Alec Hepburn, 18-Will Hurd, 19-Max Williamson, 20-Josh Bayliss, 21-George Horne, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Ollie Smith. REUTERS
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Vos surges to opening stage win in Tour de France Femmes
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Road Cycling - Women's Road Race - Paris, France - August 04, 2024. Marianne Vos of Netherlands after crossing the line to win silver REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Dutch rider Marianne Vos claimed a jaw-dropping 258th career victory when she prevailed in the first stage of the Tour de France Femmes, a 78.8-km hilly ride from Vannes to Plumelec on Saturday. The three-time road world champion, 38, prevailed at the top of the Cote de Cadoudal (1.7km at 6.2%) after her Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand Prevot cracked in the final metres to finish third behind Kim Le Court of Mauritius. While Ferrand Prevot could not convert, she showed impressive strength when she attacked 700 metres from the line, a move that underlined the mountain biking Olympic champion's title credentials. Vos, who will wear the yellow jersey in Sunday's second stage, surged past in the final 50 metres and raised her arm in celebration, just like Ferrand-Prevot. After a dozen riders were involved in a crash as the peloton rolled towards the start of the stage, Maud Rijnbeek and Laura Tomasi formed the day's breakaway. Rijnbeek went solo after 23 kilometres before Tomasi was swallowed by the peloton. Swiss rider Marlen Reusser was involved in another crash at the foot of the Cote de Cadoudal, a 1.7-km ascent at 6.2%. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Reusser, who finished second in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta, later abandoned with stomach problems, her Movistar team said. Defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, who beat Demi Vollering by just four seconds last year, finished fourth in the same time as the winner. Vollering was fifth, three seconds behind. REUTERS

Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Liverpool fans, Dalglish pay tribute to Jota in Hong Kong
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Soccer Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Liverpool v AC Milan - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - July 26, 2025 Liverpool fans hold up shirts in memory of Diogo Jota inside the stadium before the match HONG KONG - Liverpool supporters and their former forward and manager Kenny Dalglish led tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before a pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday. Ahead of kickoff, supporters raised a mosaic depicting "DJ 20" and Dalglish laid a wreath in memory of former Liverpool forward Jota, who died along with his brother in a car accident in Spain this month. The Liverpool players wore "Diogo J 20" patches on their shirts and black armbands. AC Milan winger Rafael Leao paid tribute to his Portugal teammate by making a "2" and "0" sign with his fingers after scoring an early goal in the Italian team's 4-2 win. Liverpool fan Zoe Leung and her family made a placard in Jota's memory. "I think Jota's death is sad and I was really shocked when I watched the news. I made this with my family to show some respect to Jota," the 24-year-old Leung said. Liverpool players will wear a "Forever 20" emblem on their shirts during the next Premier League season. Supporters can have "Diogo J. 20" printed on shirts in club stores, with the profits going to LFC Foundation, the club's official charity. Liverpool fans vastly outnumbered AC Milan supporters at the 50,000 capacity Kai Tak Stadium, many bringing placards, scarves, flags and banners to cheer on their team. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Liverpool travel to Japan next to take on Yokohama FM in the J League World Challenge on Wednesday. They begin their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on August 15. REUTERS

Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Groves avoids crash to win Tour Stage 20, Pogacar retains lead
Find out what's new on ST website and app. PONTARLIER, France - Australian Kaden Groves completed his set of grand tour stage wins when he prevailed on the Tour de France's penultimate ride, avoiding a crash on slippery roads before powering to a solo triumph on the 184.2km journey from Nantua on Saturday. Groves's bike-handling skills were on display when he managed to stay up as Spain's Ivan Romeo and France's Romain Gregoire skidded out of control in front of him on a wet descent 21 kilometres from the finish. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider then attacked from a reduced breakaway bunch and never looked back in the remaining 17 kilometres, bursting into tears in a mix of disbelief and exhaustion after the line. Groves, who gave his team their third victory in this year's Tour after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel also won, has seven Vuelta and two Giro d'Italia stage wins to his name. Dutchman Frank van den Broek took second place, 54 seconds behind, with his compatriot Pascal Eenkhoorn third, five seconds further back. Defending champion Tadej Pogacar spent a quiet day in the main peloton and made another step towards a fourth Tour title as he retained his overall leader's yellow jersey with a 4:24 advantage over Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard. The final stage is a 132.3km ride from Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris, where the peloton will cycle up the famous Butte Montmartre three times before the final laps on the Champs-Elysees. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar