Lawson to channel frustration against Saxons at Netherdale

RORY Lawson has urged a strong Scotland A side to kick off the Calcutta Cup weekend with a bang at Netherdale tomorrow night, and serve notice to the Scotland coaches that they should be in the Six Nations mix.

Lawson was the odd scrum-half out of the three World Cup performers, despite having captained the team against Argentina, and knows he faces a battle to force a route back in past Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair, with Greig Laidlaw also now a very real threat. But, as captain of the A team at what is expected to be a packed Netherdale tomorrow night – entry again is free – he has an opportunity that Blair and Laidlaw do not – to play 80 minutes of top-class rugby and remind the management of his skills and leadership ability.

He said: “Of course I’m hugely disappointed not to be involved on Saturday, but there’s no point feeling sorry for myself and I have to show what I’m about by channelling that in the right way. There are other guys in similar positions but, equally, there is a lot of energy coming up from the young guys. You can’t get away from the fact that representing Scotland at any level is an honour, and I don’t view playing for Scotland A, far less captaining the team, as any less of an honour.

“The A team have shown across the last few years that good performances have been rewarded with selection for Scotland and, for young guys like Stuart Hogg, Matt Scott, Tom Brown and Duncy Weir to name a few, with a Glasgow front five who have a great opportunity to enforce what they’re about, and throughout the back row and the bench, this is a great opportunity to put their hands up for the next level.

“And we have a big responsibility to set the weekend up. There is a feelgood factor around the game in Scotland and this is about showing what we’re about in the Borders and setting the weekend up to be one that is really memorable.”

In ten meetings between the teams since 1997, the Scots have won twice – a 44-14 triumph at Inverleith in 1998, that sealed a Five Nations Grand Slam, and a 13-7 success in the Churchill Cup in Toronto in June 2006, when Lawson was also captain.

The A team have a good record at Netherdale, winning the last four matches to be staged in Galashiels, against Tonga, the US Eagles, Ireland Wolfhounds and Italy A.

Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley takes the reins for the first time, assisted by Craig Chalmers and Steve Scott, and they have picked six full caps in Lawson, Simon Danielli, Phil Godman, Alex Grove, Dougie Hall and Richie Vernon, alongside debutants Tom Brown, Stuart Hogg, Pat MacArthur and Matt Scott.

The Saxons have already beaten Ireland Wolfhounds 23-17 at home but make eight changes.

They hand debuts to Jonny May of Gloucester and Leicester lock Ed Slater, while Wasps centre Dominic Waldouck, who has seven Saxon appearances under his belt, has replaced London Irish centre Jonathan Joseph, 20, who was due to make his debut but has been forced to drop out due to a groin injury.

Capped Bath full-back Nick Abendanon replaces the suspended Delon Armitage and Ryan Lamb takes over from Freddie Burns at stand-off, while Nick Wood, Chris Brooker and Tom Johnson come into the pack.

Playing at Gloucester, Lawson knows many of the English players well. He added: “The Saxons have quality right through their team, so we have to respect them. But the focus for me is on us and what we do.”

England Saxons team: N Abendanon (Bath); U Monye (Harlequins), D Waldouck (Wasps), B Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), J May (Gloucester); R Lamb (Northampton Saints), B Spencer (Saracens); N Wood (Gloucester), C Brooker (Harlequins), P Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), E Slater (Leicester Tigers), G Robson (Harlequins), J Gaskell (Sale Sharks, capt), A Saull (Saracens), T Johnson (Exeter). Subs: J Gray (Harlequins), R Harden (Gloucester), K Myall (Sale Sharks), D Seymour (Sale Sharks), P Hodgson (London Irish), F Burns (Gloucester), M Benjamin (Worcester Warriors).