Scottish team news


Graeme Morrison, the Glasgow Warriors centre, is the lone survivor from the starting line-up of Scotland’s EMC Test victory against Ireland earlier this month for the second and final segment in this year’s series – against Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday (kick-off 5pm). Tickets are on sale now from this website.
Head coach Andy Robinson has told his players that the contest against the Azzurri represents the last chance to influence the composition of the 30 man Scotland squad for the IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand. That squad will be announced on Monday.

Nick De Luca, who scored a try in Scotland's win against Italy in March, starts at centre on Saturday

“We have made 14 changes from the team that started against Ireland as we want to give those players who have been working very hard in training the opportunity to put that into practice in Saturday’s Test match against Italy.
“Historically Scotland have found Italy very tough opponents and it was no surprise to us that they achieved one of the results of the RBS 6 Nations Championship earlier this year when they accounted for France in Rome.”
Italy were on warm-up duty last weekend at home achieving a narrow victory over Japan but Robinson does not read too much into that match.
“We knew we had to be at our best when we faced them next up after their success against France and I was pleased with the way our forwards in particular fronted up at setpiece back in March,” he explained.
Nick De Luca, the Edinburgh centre, scored Scotland’s first try in that 21-8 victory and he wins a starting berth having impressed off the bench playing a key part in Joe Ansbro’s try against Ireland earlier this month.
Simon Danielli, who made a try scoring debut against Italy eight years ago when another trip to the Antipodes on World Cup business was on the horizon, also returns while Rory Lamont sees his first international duty of the year at full-back.
There’s an experienced look to the pack with Alastair Kellock resuming captaincy alongside Nathan Hines in the second-row, while Scott Lawson, who scored a try in Scotland’s opening tie of the 2007 Rugby World Cup against Portugal, is given the opportunity to press his claims at hooker.
On the bench, two players who have been diligent in their fightback from injury alongside the care of the Scotland medical team, Chris Cusiter (calf) and Euan Murray (Achilles,) have satisfied the coaches on their readiness for the fray.
Robinson added: “It was encouraging to emerge with a win against Ireland and also that our defence did not yield a try. As ever our aim is to improve on that last showing and I believe that Italy will prove ideal opponents ahead of our opening Rugby World Cup matches against Romania and Georgia.”
Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play Italy in the EMC Test on Saturday 20 August at Murrayfield, (kick-off 5pm)
15 Rory Lamont (Toulon) 24 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
14 Max Evans (Castres) 19 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh) 25 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 29 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster) 27 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
10 Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) 61 caps, 4 tries, 13 conversions, 45 penalties, 14 drop-goals, 223 points
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) VICE-CAPTAIN 71 caps, 5 tries, 25 points
1 Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks) 20 caps
2 Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 27 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 14 caps
4 Nathan Hines (Clermont Ferrand) 72 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN 33 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 Kelly Brown (Saracens) 45 caps, 4 tries, 20 points
8 Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) 11 caps
7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
Substitutes
16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps, 1 try, 5 points
17 Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons) 38 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
18 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 11 caps
19 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) 7 caps
20 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 52 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps, 2 conversions, 1 penalty, 1 drop-goal, 10 points
22 Nikki Walker (Ospreys) 23 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
Referee: Dave Pearson (England). Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland) and Robin Goodliffe (England). TMO: Huw Watkins (Wales).
Turnstiles open at 3pm on Saturday. Tickets can be collected at the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre from 9am on Saturday. We encourage all supporters to come to the ground early and enjoy the big-match build-up including special features on Scotland’s largest permanent big screens at a sports ground.

This article was posted on 16-Aug-2011, 11:44 by Hugh Barrow.