Scotland coach Andy Robinson says he’s named a squad based on “pace and power” to take on Fiji in the first of the Autumn Tests on Saturday. There are 10 changes from the last Scotland side which took to the field against England in March.
Chris Cusiter has been preferred to Mike Blair in the role of scrum-half and captain, with Mike Blair on the bench. Robinson has already stated that the pair would be rotated, with both captaining the side while on playing duty.
The only new face in the squad is Worcester centre Alex Grove, while Moray Low makes his home debut and starts his first international.
The Fiji match will be Robinson’s first full test since taking over from Frank Hadden in his role as leader of the Scotland squad. He told www.scotlandrugbyteam.org: “We have selected a side that’s full of power; that has the pace but also has the skill level to break down the Fijians.
“Fiji are above us in the IRB rankings. They are a very dangerous team to play against.
“They are a very strong, powerful side who also hit very hard (in the tackle). We have to match fire with fire.”
Chris Paterson lost out on a starting place to Sean Lamont, who returns to the team along with his brother Rory. There was no place for the Evans brothers.
Robinson had to make do without Ben Cairns, Alasdair Dickinson, Max Evans, Jim Hamilton, Ruaridh Jackson and Euan Murray, who are all injured.
15 Rory Lamont (Toulon), 14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets), 13 Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors) new cap, 12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), 11 Simon Danielli (Ulster), 10 Phil Godman (Edinburgh), 9 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN
1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), 2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh), 3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), 4 Nathan Hines (Leinster), 5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), 6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), 8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors), 7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)
Substitutes: 16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), 17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), 18 Jason White (Clermont Auvergne), 19 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), 20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh), 21 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), 22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
Last updated: 09 November 2009, 16:42
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