Head Coach Vern Cotter today named the Scotland team to face Samoa in this Saturday’s decisive Rugby World Cup Pool B match at St James’ Park, Newcastle (kick-off 15:30 SA Time, 14:30 UK Time, 13:30 GMT).
A win would guarantee the Scots a place in the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup for the 7th time since the competition’s inauguration in 1987.
Standing in their way are the formidable Pacific Islanders who, despite being out of contention for the last 8, will look to end their campaign on a positive note.
Scotland Head Coach Vern Cotter, said: “Every Test match is a ‘must-win’ when you represent your country.
“We’ve put in a huge amount of work to get us to this point, and our performances and commitment have put us in a position to qualify for the last eight. We’ll need to be up to the challenge, enjoy the opportunity, and maintain the awareness needed to play to our strengths and impose our game.”
Cotter has made 7 changes to the starting line-up that lost out to South Africa last weekend (34 / 16) – 3 of which are returning from injury: loose forward John Hardie (return-to-play protocol), wing Sean Maitland (hand) and flyhalf Finn Russell (ankle).
Outside centre Mark Bennett also returns to partner Matt Scott in midfield, while fullback Stuart Hogg, wing Tommy Seymour and captain Greig Laidlaw start once again.
The 3 remaining changes to the starting pack are all promoted from the bench: Alasdair Dickinson and Ross Ford join WP Nel in the front row, while Ryan Wilson starts in the loose forwards alongside Hardie and No 8 David Denton.
Richie Gray will win his 50th cap for his country this Saturday, having being reinstated in the locks alongside brother Jonny, while Sean Lamont could become the 3rd Scotland internationalist to make 100 appearances – joining centurions Chris Paterson (109 – from 1999 to 2011) and Donna Kennedy (115 – from 1993 to 2010) – should he take to the field from the bench against the team he faced on his 2004 debut.
If Scotland are successful this Saturday they will face the winner of Pool A (Australia or Wales) at Twickenham Stadium the following weekend.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (Captain), 8 David Denton, 7 John Hardie, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Lamont.
Date: Saturday 10 October
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 15:30 SA Time (14:30 BST, 13:30 GMT, Sunday 03:30 Samoan Time)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: JP Doyle (England), Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Congratulations to Richie Gray who will be getting his 50th cap for Scotland when he takes the field on Saturday. Also nice to have Russell, Bennett and Hardie back from injury.