Try-scorer Michael Maltman will start in an unchanged pack
Scotland under-20 have made three personnel changes to the side that beat Tonga 27-3 in the IRB Junior World Championship pools on Sunday as they prepare to face the south-sea islanders once more, this time in the ninth-place semi-final at the Club Atletico Estudiantes in Argentina (kick-off 3.15pm Argentina time, 7.15pm BST).
A second successive victory for the Scots would secure their place in the world's premier under-20 competition next season, while a loss would mean they'd have to battle it out with the loser of the corresponding semi-final between Samoa and Six Nations grand slam winners, Ireland, to stay in the top flight.
Head coach Eamon John, said: "In world sport it's very difficult to win two back-to-back games against the same opposition in the space of a week, so we're treating this game like the second of a two Test series.
"It's like a cup final for the players. We're expecting to face a Tongan team that will be absolutely desperate for the win to ensure stability in the top tier of age-grade rugby but we're under no illusions of the importance of this match and have to get the performance right."
John has kept faith with the starting forward pack that contributed two tries to the side's victory over the Tongans while, in the backs, Currie's James Johnstone comes off the bench to replace the injured Jonny Kennedy.
The rested Oliver Grove - who has started seven of the last eight under-20 matches - returns to replace Michael Tait on the wing, with Tait taking Johnstone's vacated place on the bench.
John's choice to opt for an extra forward replacement (West of Scotland's Robert McAlpine) means Callum MacBurnie drops out of the 22.
John added: "I think the forwards deserve to start again after a really good performance against Tonga on Sunday.
"They got the set-piece right and created the platform for us to win the game which was one of the elements we targeted in our preparation - we now look to move our game on again in order to get this crucial win."
Scotland team to play Tonga at the Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná (KO 3.15pm Argentina time, 7.15pm BST)
15 Tom Brown (Edinburgh Accies)*
14 Oliver Grove (Worcester Warriors)
13 James Johnstone (Currie)*
12 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Dougie Fife (Currie)**
10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Hawks)*
9 Alex Black (Leeds Carnegie)
1 Anthony Kent (London Scottish)
2 Alun Walker (Currie)
3 Nicky Little (Hawick)*
4 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby)
5 Grant Gilchrist (Stirling County)*
6 Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriros)
7 Michael Maltman (Heriot's)**
8 Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN
Substitutes
16 Adam Fedorciow (University of Bath)
17 George Hunter (Glasgow Hawks)
18 Robert McAlpine (West of Scotland)**
19 Callum Stidston-Nott (London Scottish)
20 Russell Weir (Loughborough Students)
21 Matthew Scott (Currie)**
22 Michael Tait (Newcastle Falcons)
* Denotes a member of the Scottish Rugby National Contracted Academy
** Denotes a member of the Scottish Rugby National Academy supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport
IRB JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOLS
Saturday 5 June - Australia 58-13 Scotland, Estadio CA Colon, Santa Fe
Wednesday 9 June - South Africa 73-0 Scotland, Estadio CA Colon
Sunday 13 June - Scotland 27-3 Tonga, Club Atletico Estudiantes, Parana
KNOCKOUT PHASE (kick-off times are local, add four hours for BST)
9th Place Semi Final
Thursday 17 June - Ireland v Samoa, Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná (kick-off 1pm)
Thursday 17 June - Scotland v Tonga, Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná (kick-off 3.15pm)
5th Place Semi Final
Thursday 17 June - Wales v Fiji, Estadio CA Colon, Santa Fe (kick-off 2pm)
Thursday 17 June - France v Argentina Estadio CA Colon, Santa Fe (kick-off 4.15pm)
Semi Finals
Thursday 17 June - Australia v England Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario (kick-off 2.10pm)
Thursday 17 June - New Zealand v South Africa Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario (kick-off 4.30pm)
11th Place Play-off
Monday 21 June - Loser Match 19 v Loser Match 20 Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná (kick-off 2.15pm)
9th Place Play-off
Monday 21 June - Winner Match 19 v Winner Match 20 Club Atletico Estudiantes, Paraná (kick-off 12 noon)
7th Place Play-off
Monday 21 June - Loser Match 21 v Loser Match 22 Estadio CA Colon, Santa Fe (kick-off 12 noon)
5th Place Play off
Monday 21 June - Winner Match 21 v Winner Match 22 Estadio CA Colon, Santa Fe (kick-off 2.15pm)
3rd Place Play-off
Monday 21 June - Loser Match 23 v Loser Match 24 Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario (kick-off 4.45pm)
Final
Monday 21 June - Winner Match 23 v Winner Match 24 Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario (kick-off 7.10pm)

This article was posted on 17-Jun-2010, 06:54 by Hugh Barrow.