The Scotland team to face the All Blacks at Murrayfield on Saturday was announced today. Scotland have never beaten the world’s number one team and reigning World Cup champions so will be going all out to try and make history on Saturday.
However, beating the mighty All Blacks will be incredibly difficult for Scotland todo, more especially when considers the form of Edinburgh rugby this season and the abscence of so many of their top players. Should they manage this though it would be a tremendous boost to Scotland’s world rankings which is important as the 2015 Rugby World Cup draw takes place after the end of year tours tests are over.
Herewith the team announcement courtesy of the SRU:
Scotland have made five changes from the team that completed a 100% winning record in Australasia during the summer for their first match of the season, Sunday’s EMC Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield.
The match is a near 67,144 sell-out with only a few single tickets left around the stadium, while the second EMC Test of the month at Murrayfield – against South Africa on Saturday 17 November – has already sold almost 50,000 tickets. It will be the first occasion that a Test at this time of year has attracted a capacity attendance since the stadium was redeveloped in 1994.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “Thanks to the fans for their tremendous backing. For me, there’s nothing to compare to a full house on international match day and the chance for Scotland to challenge the best team in the world increases the sense of occasion ahead of Sunday’s EMC Test.”
The changes made from the team that rounded off the Southern Hemisphere tour with a last-gasp win against Samoa – following on earlier successes against Australia and Fiji – see Nick De Luca return for the injured Joe Ansbro at centre; Mike Blair, who had a superb game off the bench in Apia, start instead of the recuperating Chris Cusiter; and Geoff Cross, Jim Hamilton and captain Kelly Brown appear in the pack instead of Euan Murray, Alastair Kellock and Richie Vernon.
Brown, who will captain Scotland for the first time, will be winning his 50th cap, while there are first international starts at Murrayfield for Edinburgh Rugby backs Matt Scott and Tim Visser and Glasgow Warriors prop Ryan Grant.
Lock Richie Gray has made good progress from his ankle injury sustained on club duty last month and is listed, subject to a fitness test later this week.
On the bench, Glasgow Warriors’ uncapped 23-year-old scrum-half Henry Pyrgos, is rewarded for his fine form in recent weeks with a first-ever involvement in a Scotland match-day squad.
Robinson added: “For our first game of the season we will really need to start well and keep the game simple.
“New Zealand are the world champions and they perform the basic skills, well, under the highest pressure.
“We need to step up from the summer tour and be ready to go toe to toe in a physical contest, just as Australia did most recently against New Zealand in Brisbane.
“Congratulations to Kelly Brown who will captain Scotland for the first time and will join distinguished company in winning his 50th cap.” Brown is the 32nd Scot to reach the milestone of 50 caps.
Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play New Zealand in the EMC Test at Murrayfield on Sunday 11 November, kick-off 2.30pm
15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps, 1 try, 5 points
14 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 68 caps, 8 tries, 40 points
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 35 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps
11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 10 caps, 2 tries, 8 conversions, 15 penalties, 71 points
9 Mike Blair (Brive) 83 caps, 7 tries, 35 points
1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 61 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby) 14 caps
4 Richie Gray (Sale Sharks) 24 caps, 1 try, 5 points
5 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 39 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan) 28 caps, 1 try, 5 points
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) 19 caps
8 Kelly Brown (Saracens) CAPTAIN 49 caps, 4 tries, 20 points
Substitutes
16 Scott Lawson (London Irish) 34 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
17 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby) 64 caps
18 Kyle Traynor (Bristol Rugby) 3 caps
19 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 44 caps, 1 try, 5 points
20 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) 6 caps
21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
22 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps, 2 conversions, 2 penalties, 2 drop-goals, 16 points
23 Max Evans (Castres) 30 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
Referee: Jerome Garces (France). Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzere (France) and Simon McDowell (Ireland). TMO: Graham Hughes (England). ends.
All the Scotland supporters at the stadium can look forward to this prior to kick off: