Scotland have made six changes in personnel and introduce Ryan Grant, the Glasgow Warriors prop for a first cap, in their team to play the Wallabies in Newcastle, New South Wales on Tuesday.
 
In addition to 26-year-old Grant’s debut, there is a first start for Edinburgh Rugby’s 21-year-old centre Matt Scott and there are two other uncapped players on the bench, Scott’s Edinburgh team-mate, wing/full-back Tom Brown, and the redoubtable Tom Ryder, the Glasgow Warriors
 
Omitted from the team that lost to Italy in Rome last time out are Jon Welsh, Geoff Cross, Jim Hamilton and David Denton in the pack and Max Evans and Graeme Morrison in the backs. They are replaced by Grant, Euan Murray, Al Kellock, Alasdair Strokosch, Joe Ansbro and Scott respectively. A positional switch also sees John Barclay move from blindside flank to No 8.
 
Some of the changes have been enforced – Denton, for example, is ruled out through injury, while Evans is still with his club in France at present – but head coach Andy Robinson asserts that the selection is based around a burning desire to ensure a pick-up in Scotland’s fortunes.
 
“We were all very disappointed by the results in the RBS 6 Nations Championship and this tour is about our strong collective determination to put that right, play with confidence and win back pride.
 
“There’s been an intensity to training since we’ve been out here which has pleased me but, as ever, it’s about delivering a consistent 80 minute performance and eliminating the sort of errors that have cost us dearly if we are to beat Australia.
 
“When we last played Australia three years ago, it was one of the most courageous performances of scramble defence I have ever seen.  Four times Australia were over our line only to be held up and it will require that uncompromising resolve in Newcastle on Tuesday if we are to repeat that success.
 
“Scotland have played ten Test matches in Australia and it is 30 years since the lone success to date – at Ballymore in 1982. The Wallabies team is liberally sprinkled with quality international rugby players, so we know we’ll be underdogs,” Robinson added.
 
For Grant, a one-time member of the Royal Signals who moved from Edinburgh Rugby to Glasgow Warriors two summers ago, his call-up is symptomatic of the increasing competitiveness within the pro-team squads.
You can hear Grant's thoughts here:


 
Meanwhile, when Scotland beat the Wallabies 9-8 at Murrayfield in November 2009, Matt Scott, by his own admission was a wide-eyed 17-year-old given an insight into the Wallabies camp by the Winning Scotland Foundation. The experience fired his desire to be on that same stage competing against world-class players who, when all is said and done, are also human, as he reflected in an interview with www.scottishrugby.org.


 
 
Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play Australia at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle, New South Wales on Tuesday 5 June, kick-off 7.30pm local time
 
15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps, 1 try, 5 points
 
14 Joe Ansbro (London Irish) 9 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 33 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 1 cap
11 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 65 caps, 8 tries, 40 points
 
10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 7 caps, 1 try, 2 conversions, 8 penalties, 33 points
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby) 80 caps, 7 tries, 35 points
 
1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) new cap
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN 58 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons) 44 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
4 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 41 caps, 1 try, 5 points
5 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 21 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 25 caps, 1 try, 5 points
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) 16 caps
8 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 37 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
 
Substitutes
 
16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 32 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
17 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
18 Tom Ryder (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
19 Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) 18 caps
20 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 59 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap, 1 conversion, 2 points
22 Tom Brown (Edinburgh Rugby) uncapped
 
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa).  Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa) and Keith Brown (New Zealand).  TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand).

This article was posted on 2-Jun-2012, 09:28 by Hugh Barrow.