Scotland call up Simon Taylor and Graeme Morrison for Calcutta Cup match

Published on 04/03/2008 12:01

NUMBER eight Simon Taylor has been recalled to the Scotland side for Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash with England at Murrayfield – but there is no place for Scott Murray in Frank Hadden's matchday squad.

Taylor, 28, will make his first appearance since the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina after recovering from a hand injury.

The exclusion of Murray from the 22-man squad comes as a surprise, with the 87-cap lock's recall expected to see him handed at least a place on the bench.

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Stade Francais back-row forward Taylor replaces Kelly Brown who drops to the bench, and Hadden has shown belief in his team by making just one further change, as Graeme Morrison replaces Glasgow Warriors team-mate Andy Henderson at inside centre.

Hadden said: "Simon Taylor has played well in the three games for his club since recovering from a hand injury and he is now ready to return to the national side.

"Graeme Morrison is being rewarded for his outstanding performances for the Scotland A team, away in Italy and then against Ireland A at Perth."

The captaincy remains with scrum-half Mike Blair, however regular skipper Jason White should be involved at some stage. He is named on the bench after recovering from a head injury.

There had been questions over the fitness of Nathan Hines and Scott MacLeod but both men keep their places in the second row.

Scotland:

H Southwell (Edinburgh); R Lamont (Sale Sharks), S Webster (Edinburgh), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), N Walker (Ospreys); C Paterson (Gloucester), M Blair (Edinburgh, captain); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton Saints), N Hines (Perpignan), S MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), A Strokosch (Gloucester), S Taylor (Stade Francais), A Hogg (Edinburgh).

Replacments: F Thomson (Glasgow Warriors), A Dickinson (Gloucester), C Smith (Edinburgh), J White (Sale Sharks), K Brown (Glasgow Warriors), R Lawson (Gloucester), D Parks (Glasgow Warriors).

England:

D Cipriani (Wasps); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), L Mears (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), T Croft (Leicester), M Lipman (Bath), N Easter (Harlequins).

Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), M Stevens (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), P Hodgson (London Irish), M Tait (Newcastle), I Balshaw (Gloucester).