In the forwards, Glasgow prop Fin Richardson is named in a senior Scotland side for the first time alongside his club team-mate Nathan McBeth, and Edinburgh’s Patrick Harrison is at hooker.
George Turner will make his Scotland return from the bench, having only recently come back from a spell with the Kobe Steelers in Japan to sign for Harlequins.
Uncapped Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke, who was born in New Zealand but qualifies through Scottish grandparents, is also among the replacements as is Montpellier number eight Alexander Masibaka.
Sale’s Arron Reed and Edinburgh’s Harry Paterson start on the wings, with the latter playing for Scotland for the first time in a year.
Full-back Ollie Smith also has not played internationally since the 2023 World Cup and has battled back from a knee injury, while second-row Cameron Henderson and openside flanker Andy Onyeama-Christie are both back from lengthy lay-offs as well.
Darcy Graham, Tom Jordan, Kyle Steyn, Grant Gilchrist and tour captain Rory Darge are among the more experienced players not in the squad with two matches left to come.
“The evidence is there from our last summer tour – I think we had 11 new caps on that tour and a number of those players went on to play Tests in November and then featured in the Six Nations, so the opportunity is there for them,” Townsend said of his selection.
“The opportunity is there in the short term to go out and play well this weekend and put pressure on selection for the Fiji game, the Samoa game, but also make the most of this time together, so they leave a really good impression on our minds as coaches for when next season comes around.”
Scotland take on the Maori All Blacks on Saturday (04:35 BST), before facing Fiji in Suva the following week and finishing their tour at Eden Park in Auckland against Samoa on 18 July.
