Joe Ansbro and Rory Lawson have been restored to the back division while Simon Danielli comes in at the expense of Nikki Walker. Ruaridh Jackson retains his place at 10 as does “You Shall Not Pass” Sean Lamont at 12 – his new nickname could be Gandalf.
(now updated with England team)
In the pack not much has changed other than a reversion to the back row that started against France. On the bench, the Big Stroker makes a welcome return amongst the usual suspects. If you threw Graeme Morrison into the mix then you’d have a pretty solid base for the World Cup. But then that is what we thought before the tournament started.
Scotland team: Paterson (Edinburgh); Danielli (Ulster), Ansbro (Northampton), S Lamont (Scarlets), M Evans (Glasgow Warriors); Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), R Lawson (Gloucester); Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Ford (Edinburgh), Low (Glasgow Warriors), Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Kellock (Glasgow Warriors, captain), Hines (Leinster), Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Brown (Saracens).
Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), Cross (Edinburgh), Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Strokosch (Gloucester), Blair (Edinburgh), Parks (Cardiff Blues), De Luca (Edinburgh).
UPDATE: Here is the England team, much as expected in the backs where the midfield battle will be key and in the forwards although Tom Croft has returned to the bench there is no comeback for Courtney Lawes to face off with Richie Gray in the battle of the young locks…
England team: Ben Foden, Chris Ashton, Mike Tindall (capt), Shontayne Hape, Mark Cueto, Toby Flood, Ben Youngs, Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Tom Palmer, Tom Wood, James Haskell, Nick Easter
Replacements: S Thompson, P Doran-Jones, S Shaw, T Croft, D Care, J Wilkinson, M Banahan.
2 responses
Can’t believe Parks isn’t starting. I know he isn’t the most exciting polayer in the business but he guides Scotland competently. It will be interesting to see Ansbro go up against Hape in the centres with them soon to be teammates at Irish next year
Agree with Steve…can’t see Parksy changing the game, but he would give us the go forward (alright by kicking) we need to get intae it, then let Jacko come on and run about a bit. Pleased Ansbro’s back though!