Scotland will be playing the first of their test matches on this years summer tour tomorrow, Tuesday 5th June, against Australia. The game will be played at Newcastle, seemingly this is the heart of rugby league country in Australia. Kick off is at 11.30 South African time.
There have been several changes to the team that played in Scotland’s last six nations game. Scotland will be lead by hooker Ross Ford, while John Barclay has recovered from his injury to take his place in the team, this time as eigthman.
Australia have also made various changes to the team with five new caps being handed out. Australia will be captained for the first time by David Pocock.
More detail follows:
SRU
Scotland have made six changes in personnel and introduce Ryan Grant, the Glasgow Warriors prop for a first cap, in their team to play the Wallabies in Newcastle, New South Wales on Tuesday.
In addition to 26-year-old Grant’s debut, there is a first start for Edinburgh Rugby’s 21-year-old centre Matt Scott and there are two other uncapped players on the bench, Scott’s Edinburgh team-mate, wing/full-back Tom Brown, and the redoubtable Tom Ryder, the Glasgow Warriors lock.
Matt Scott will make his first start, while it’s a first Scotland cap for Ryan Grant in Tuesday’s match against Australia. Omitted from the team that lost to Italy in Rome last time out are Jon Welsh, Geoff Cross, Jim Hamilton and David Denton in the pack and Max Evans and Graeme Morrison in the backs. They are replaced by Grant, Euan Murray, Al Kellock, Alasdair Strokosch, Joe Ansbro and Scott respectively.
A positional switch also sees John Barclay move from blindside flank to No 8.
Some of the changes have been enforced – Denton, for example, is ruled out through injury, while Evans is still with his club in France at present – but head coach Andy Robinson asserts that the selection is based around a burning desire to ensure a pick-up in Scotland’s fortunes.
“We were all very disappointed by the results in the RBS 6 Nations Championship and this tour is about our strong collective determination to put that right, play with confidence and win back pride.
“There’s been an intensity to training since we’ve been out here which has pleased me but, as ever, it’s about delivering a consistent 80 minute performance and eliminating the sort of errors that have cost us dearly if we are to beat Australia.
“When we last played Australia three years ago, it was one of the most courageous performances of scramble defence I have ever seen. Four times Australia were over our line only to be held up and it will require that uncompromising resolve in Newcastle on Tuesday if we are to repeat that success.
“Scotland have played ten Test matches in Australia and it is 30 years since the lone success to date – at Ballymore in 1982. The Wallabies team is liberally sprinkled with quality international rugby players, so we know we’ll be underdogs,” Robinson added.
For Grant, a one-time member of the Royal Signals who moved from Edinburgh Rugby to Glasgow Warriors two summers ago, his call-up is symptomatic of the increasing competitiveness within the pro-team squads.
Meanwhile, when Scotland beat the Wallabies 9-8 at Murrayfield in November 2009, Matt Scott, by his own admission was a wide-eyed 17-year-old given an insight into the Wallabies camp by the Winning Scotland Foundation. The experience fired his desire to be on that same stage competing against world-class players who, when all is said and done, are also human.
Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play Australia at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle, New South Wales on Tuesday 5 June, kick-off 7.30pm local time
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps, 1 try, 5 points
14. Joe Ansbro (London Irish) 9 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
13. Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 33 caps, 1 try, 5 points
12. Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 1 cap
11. Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 65 caps, 8 tries, 40 points
10. Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 7 caps, 1 try, 2 conversions, 8 penalties, 33 points
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby) 80 caps, 7 tries, 35 points
1. Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) new cap
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN 58 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3. Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons) 44 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
4. Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 41 caps, 1 try, 5 points
5. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 21 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6. Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 25 caps, 1 try, 5 points
7. Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) 16 caps
8. John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 37 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
Substitutes
16. Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 32 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
17. Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
18. Tom Ryder (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
19. Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) 18 caps
20. Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 59 caps, 3 tries, 15 points
21. Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap, 1 conversion, 2 points
22. Tom Brown (Edinburgh Rugby) uncapped
Australia have named five new caps and a new captain in their team to play Scotland at Newcastle on Tuesday night. Led for the first time in a Test match by Zimbabwe born David Pocock – the world-class back-row forward who missed the last meeting between the countries, Scotland’s 9-8 Murrayfield success in 2009 – the Wallabies’ head coach Robbie Deans is predicting a tough encounter.
The newcomers are full-back Luke Morahan, winger Joe Tomane, inside centre Mike Harris, prop and one-time private investigator, Dan Palmer and blindside flanker Dave Dennis.
After their team announcement and training at Sydney Grammar School today Deans said: “Scotland will be hungry and will sense the opportunity, striking us first up on a limited preparation.
“A feature of the Scottish team under Andy Robinson is that they are very well organised. The Scottish teams of my experience have always been extremely physical in their approach, so they will be very direct and come right at us.”
While Australia have remained in Sydney and a number of players were involved in weekend Super 15 matches – they did undertake a PR appearance via helicopter to Newcastle last Thursday – Scotland have been some two-and-a-half hours north in Newcastle, sheltering from the prolonged showers.
Australia team to play Scotland
15. Luke Morahan (Queensland Reds)
14. Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
13. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
12. Mike Harris (Queensland Reds)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
9 .Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
3.Dan Palmer (Brumbies)
4. Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
6. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
7. David Pocock (Western Force) CAPTAIN
8. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
Substitutes
16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
19. Michael Hooper (Brumbies)
20. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
21. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
22. Adam Ashley Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa). Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa) and Keith Brown (New Zealand). TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand).
This is going to be an interesting game. Scotland not at their strongest at the moment, but Australia will have only been together for a day or two before this match. Gooooo Scotland!
Moer hulle Skotland!
Thats the spirit guys JFK and TYT we can do with all your support. Must say quite a few unknown players to me in that Aussie line-up, so who knows maybe Scotland can do it, its comforting to have bruiser Stokosch back, think Scotland will try play a quick game with lots of passing, hopefully will run the right lines and find loads of gaps and also not drop the ball in crucial positions.
Am very glad to see Joe Ansbro back even if it is out of position on the wing rate Ansbro as a classy player, seems like Robinson has gone for a series of combinations in a few areas with Edinburgh midfield and halfback pairing, Glasgow locks. Heres hoping Ross Ford has gotten over the excitement he seemed to have of being Captain in the Six nations and is back to his mean hard playing self. Only pity won’t get to see this game so hope someone here is watching and posting some info as the game unfolds to read later.
G’day Rugby-Talkers, I’ve been overseas for an extended period and haven’t had the opportunity to get on and have a chat, but I’m back home at the moment, for a brief respite, before heading back to Prague later in the month.
Back on the Central Coast,just north of Sydney, where the weather is atrocious at present. I am an hour south of Newcastle, where tonight’s Wallabies v Scotland match is being played. Forecasters are telling us to prepare to be “smashed” by gale force winds and torrential rain, which should hit Newcastle around kick-off. This match might degenerate into something straight out of Antarctica, which might suit the canny Scots.
Robbie Deans’ men have had only one training run and very little preparation time together, which won’t augur well for cohesion with the 5 new caps. No excuses, so it will be a match where anything could eventuate, particularly given the weather.
My best wishes to everyone.
Go the Wallabies!!!!!!!!!!
5@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:
Howzit OldG,
How you been mate? Long time since you been posting here.
Now that weather of yours don’t sound good at all. Here in Umhlanga we having awesome winter weather.
Same here our Boks have had hardly any time together either. They only got together this Monday and we play England on Saturday. Think it will be like that for all of us. NZ, OZ and SA all in the same boat with hardly any time to train. The S15 is just way too long. Would have prefered we had finished that tourney before we had the tours start.
5@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:
Never been to Prague a place I would really love to visit one day. You working there mate?
@ Puma:
Hey Howzit Puma mate? Indeed, I’m back and forth to Czech Republic over next 2 years. We are building the world’s first commercially operated thorium molten salt reactor. That means clean safe energy. Only a smaller version for now, but bigger things on the horizon.
Puma, you will like this: I was in Sydney for business meetings and arranged accommodation for visiting scientists in Coogee. Who else was staying in the hotel? The Sharks!!!! Met Patrick Lsmbie and had a coffee with Mvovo, the fellow with the big smile. Excellent ambassadors for RSA rugby, what a great buch of fellows, even the forwards!!! (Not bad coming from an old back).
A quick weather update: storms just hit here, with torrential rain; reports say its like a category 2 cyclone in Sydney, headed our way. Will hit Newcastle around kick-off, so be watching for a very wet game. We are just over 2 hours from kick-off now. Shame, it is going to spoil the spectacle for a lot of Novocastrians (Newcastle residents). Newcastle has a proud rugby history and has provided us with many Wallabies over the years.
Weather sooo bad – internet went off; TV reception intermittent. Hope we get to watch the match?????
Major road flooding already. Flights diverted. Predicted serious erosion for Northern Beaches – and an international rugby game is scheduled. All happening in Australia at present.
@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:Sounds like the weather is playing right into the Scots hands!!!
@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:
Hi there old griqua good to see you about, see the leading edge of rain band is now on Newcastle and wind should be changin direction and picking up soon not good for the rugby. Dont think this will favour Scotland, Robinson has us playing a game involving passing the ball like a hot potatoe which will not be easy in the wind and rain. This could end up being a good old fashion scrap up front.
What is the score?
The scrums could turn out a farce if the ground gets too soggy
@ Spooony:
Game only starts at 11.30 SA time
@ Just For Kicks:
Howzit JFK, not so sure about that with the type of plan we try to play to ie. lots of quick offloads. At least it looks like the main rainband is moving very fast so at least 2nd half may not be as wet as now but still windy and showery. Anyway must dash enjoy the game if you watching. GO SCOTLAND!
Tonga 15-20 Samoa 58min
I’m situated just over 1 hour from Newcastle. We are being hit with gusts up to 130 kms/hr. I just watched pre-game show on TV. Rain is quite heavy but no wind yet. Andy Robinson suggested it might be a good game NOT to have the ball, as conditions are going to deteriorate in the secondhalf. Unfortunately, weather is going to spoil this match altogether. Sydney forecasters describe it as equivalent to category 2 cyclone. Temp is 10deg C but wind chill makes it around 3deg.
The Wallabies are stuck in their own quarter and I suspect they will spend the next 30 minutes down there. Running the ball is the only viable option to gaining ground as the wind is so strong. But the wet weather makes the handling tougher.
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