Mike Blair will miss the autumn test against Australia after failing a fitness test. Rory Lawson will now take his place on the bench. Blair has already lost his place as team captain and scrum half to Chris Cusiter and will be set back further by this news.

Lawson, who plays with Gloucester in the Guinness Premiership, has been capped 15 times in the past.

His promotion means Edinburgh’s Grieg Laidlaw will start in Scotland A’s match against Tonga tonight.

Lawson made his debut against the Wallabies as a replacement almost exactly three years ago, following in the footsteps of his father Alan, also a Scotland scrum half.

Scotland coach Andy Robinson has named an unchanged team from the one which beat Fiji at Murrayfield last week.

As Scotland eventually ground out their draw the Wallabies were preparing to face Grand Slam champions Ireland at Croke Park, where they battled out a spirited 20-20 draw.

Australia have now made just one change to their starting XV for Saturday's autumn international against Scotland.

Head coach Robbie Deans has elected to rest Sunday's man of the match in the 20-20 draw in Ireland, David Pocock, with George Smith returning as openside flanker.