Scotland v New Zealand: Finn Russell one of three changes to face All Blacks

Finn Russell will earn his 64th cap against New Zealand on Sunday after being recalled to the Scotland XV.

The Racing 92 fly-half was originally omitted from the autumn internationals pool but was drafted in after an injury to Adam Hastings and starts instead of Blair Kinghorn at Murrayfield.

British and Irish Lion Russell has not been involved since this year's Six Nations, having sat out the summer tour to South America, and is one of three changes to the side that beat Fiji last Saturday.

Gregor Townsend's men opened the autumn internationals with a frustrating one-point loss to Australia before last weekend's 28-12 win over the Fijians.

Russell gets his chance after an injury to Adam Hastings last time out and Townsend, who previously voiced concerns about the 30-year-old's "form and consistency", praised his attitude following his recall.

"Finn's been excellent," said Townsend, when asked how the fly-half had slotted back into the international set-up for the first time since March.

"He's got other things going on in his life which are very important - his partner Emma is close to giving birth - but he's been very professional. He's trained well, he's led the attack very well."

Townsend explained that his return to international prominence is down to a combination of Hastings' injury and his own upturn in form in recent weeks.

"I think I mentioned when I announced the squad that he had been playing better in the two weeks before we announced it," he said.

"But, at the time, Blair had played in the summer tour for us and been playing well for Edinburgh and also Adam Hastings has been outstanding for Gloucester this season."

Meanwhile, hooker Fraser Brown replaces George Turner, and centre Sione Tuipulotu is in for Cameron Redpath, in a starting XV that features seven players who faced the All Blacks in 2017.

That game at Murrayfield finished 22-17 to New Zealand - who ran in eight tries to demolish Wales 55-23 last week - and was a 29th defeat for the Scots in 31 games between the sides in the past 117 years. The other two were draws.

Brown starts his first Test in almost two years, having also been absent from the initial squad, while prop WP Nel will win his 50th cap from the bench, seven years after making his debut in 2015 against Italy.

There will be a Scotland-born player in the All Blacks XV, in the shape of scrum-half Finlay Christie, who was born in Melrose before moving to New Zealand when he was seven years old.

Wing Mark Telea will make his debut for the tourists in one of eight personnel changes from the win in Cardiff.

Scotland: Hogg; Graham, Harris, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, Price; Schoeman, Brown, Z Fagerson, R Gray, Gilchrist, Ritchie (capt), Watson, M Fagerson

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, White, Kinghorn, Bennett

New Zealand: J Barrett; Telea, Lienert-Brown, Havili, Clarke; B Barrett, Christie; De Groot, Taukei'aho, Laulala, Whitelock (capt), S Barrett, A Ioane, Papali'i, Savea

Replacements: Taylor, Bower, Newell, Vaa'i, Frizell, Perenara, Perofeta, R Ioane