Ewan Ashman and Rory Sutherland to start for Scotland before Lions duty

Ewan Ashman and Rory Sutherland will both start for Scotland against Samoa before heading for British and Irish Lions duty.

The front-row forwards have been named in Gregor Townsend’s team for their final summer tour match at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.

Darcy Graham is among the players dropping out of the team which lost to Fiji after already joining up with the Lions. The three Scotland players were earmarked to take part in next Tuesday’s match against a First Nations & Pasifika XV.

Gregor Brown returns from injury to start in the second row, while Ben Muncaster is back from injury but has to settle for a place on the bench.

Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall form a new centre partnership as Cameron Redpath and the injured Tom Jordan drop out. Jordan suffered a fractured hand against Fiji, while Jamie Ritchie picked up a foot issue.

Arron Reed replaces Graham on the wing and Andy Onyeama-Christie is drafted into the back row.

Glasgow prop Fin Richardson is in line for a first cap after being named on the bench.