Scotland announce squad for Samoa test – Rugby News Update
Scotland will play the last of a three-test series on their southern hemisphere tour against Samoa, this Saturday.
Having already defeated Australia and Fiji in their own backyard, Andy Robinson, the head coach of Scotland, will be feeling confident that his team can sign out their tour with a win against the Islanders. The team sees three changes from the last game.
The most notable absentee from the squad is John Barclay, who is getting married next week and prior to the tour it was already understood that he would not be participating in the match against Samoa.
In Barclay’s place, Richie Vernon comes in who plays for the Sale Sharks. Chris Cusiter and Sean Lamont will start in place of Mike Blair and Max Evans respectively.
"Chris Cusiter has had a really good impact off the bench, so we have given him a start in this game," Robinson said. "He has done well and the competition between the two players [Cusiter and Blair] has been really close. They are both playing good rugby
at the moment.”
Lamont was excited by his promotion in the starting XV, and he felt that Robinson would stick with the same back line that defeated Fiji last weekend.
"I had presumed he [Robinson] would go with the same team as he did last week, with me on the bench," Lamont said. "I am grateful that I have an early chance. I still love playing for Scotland so any chance to go on the field is good.”
It will not be an easy game for the Scots with harsh conditions expected at Apia, and the quality of opposition is of a high standard. It will be a great experience for the players, and they get to test themselves in conditions that they are unfamiliar with.
Robinson will expect one last push from his team, and will urge them to go for the win.
Scotland Squad:
S Hogg (Glasgow); S Lamont (Scarlets), N De Luca (Edinburgh), M Scott (Edinburgh), T Visser (Edinburgh); G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), C Cusiter (Glasgow); R Grant (Glasgow), R Ford (C) (Glasgow), E Murray (Newcastle), A Kellock (Glasgow), R Gray (Glasgow), A Strokosch
(Gloucester), R Rennie (Edinburgh), R Vernon (Sale)
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