Five Glasgow Warriors are in the Scotland XV that will start against a Japan Select at Murrayfield tomorrow evening.
Head coach Andy Robinson has named a strong Scotland XV – full of capped players for the game – vital preparation for Scotland’s arduous two Tests tour against Argentina next month. Tomorrow’s match kicks-off at 7.00pm at Murrayfield and admission is FREE with gates opening at 5.00pm.
Introduced to the team are backs Alex Grove, whose loan deal to Edinburgh is announced today, wing Simon Danielli and half-backs Phil Godman and Mike Blair. Blair will captain the side.
In the starting pack are Glasgow Warriors quintet Moray Low, Richie Gray, Kelly Brown, Johnnie Beattie and Richie Vernon. Richie is the only member of the Scotland A party who will set out on the defence of the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest next month, to start tomorrow, albeit two of his Scotland A colleagues, Fergus Thomson and Mark McMillan, are on the bench.
Robinson explained: “We’re looking at the players who are going to be available on the tour and we want to see them in action tomorrow. After their run to the Magners League play-offs we’re giving some of the Glasgow Warriors players some extra recovery time.
“Tomorrow’s match is about getting our systems in place and how we are going to approach key elements. It’s much better to do that in a live match than simply seeking to replicate it in training,” he said.
Japanese rugby is on a high with their senior team having qualified this month for the Rugby World Cup 2011 and there will be interest in the depth of their extended squad.
Scotland XV
15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Français)
14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
12 Alex Grove (Edinburgh)
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster)
10 Phil Godman (Edinburgh)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) CAPTAIN
1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
4 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
5 Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh)
6 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors)
8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)
7 Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
Substitutes
16 Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh)
18 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh)
19 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Mark McMillan (Glasgow Warriors)
21 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)
Referee: James Jones (Wales). Assistant referees: Andrew Macpherson and David Changleng (both Scotland)

This article was originally posted on 31-May-2010, 17:34 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 31-May-2010, 17:35.