Ben MacDougall makes Scots switch - for second time

London Scottish have signed former Scotland centre Ben MacDougall in a bid to improve their dire situation at the lower end of the English National League One table. The 33-year-old Australian-born MacDougall, who qualified for Scotland through his Glasgow grandfather, Alan, won three caps for his adopted country in 2006, starting against Wales and appearing twice as a replacement against South Africa on the Scots summer tour.

A former league player, MacDougall had never played rugby union until he was targeted by then Scotland coach and fellow Australian Matt Williams.

Williams was unimpressed by the quality of Scotland's centres at the time and made public his criticism of rugby skills north of the Border.

So Williams brought MacDougall across to Scotland in 2004, assigning the league player to Edinburgh before his transfer to Border Reivers.

In what seems a historical repeat, London Scottish have drafted MacDougall in to improve their midfield play after a disappointing start to the season with three defeats in their first four matches.

The Exiles have lost to championship leaders Blackheath, second-placed Barking and mid-table club Rosslyn Park, their only victory being achieved last weekend when they had a home win against national league strugglers Redruth.

London Scottish have reputedly invested close to 1 million putting together a squad in the hope of winning promotion to the lucrative RFU-sponsored English Championship, the layer below the Premiership.

Their squad includes several former Scotland age-grade players, among them north-east back-rower Willie Lipp, former Glasgow centre Ian McInroy and under-20 captain Lewis Calder. But the Exiles released Scotland age grade scrum half Matt Heeps, who had the satisfaction of sharing in Barking's 24-17 win over his former club.

lReferee Steve Walsh has been restored to the international Test rugby panel after a two-year absence and a brief retirement.

The International Rugby Board has given Walsh control of Wales versus South Africa in Cardiff on 13 November, and Scotland against Samoa in Aberdeen on 27 November. He'll also patrol the sideline for the Wales-Fiji match in Cardiff on 19 November. The Tests will be the first since the 2008 Six Nations for New Zealander Walsh, who now represents Australia after moving there last year to renew his controversial career.