Robinson gambles on pace with seven changes for England match

SCOTLAND coach Andy Robinson has taken a big gamble by making an unexpected seven changes to the team that lost to Argentina for Saturday’s final Pool B clash with England.

Robinson has rung the changes ruthlessly in an effort to lift the tempo and attack from the first whistle in a last-ditch effort to claim a place in the quarter-finals.

Six of the side that suffered an agonising 13-12 defeat in Wellington last Sunday have been dropped, three in the backs and three up front, with Sean Lamont staying in the side but moving from wing to inside centre. Kelly Brown is ineligible after suffering concussion.

In the back division, centres Nick de Luca and Graeme Morrison and scrum-half Rory Lawson have all been discarded – only de Luca keeps his place in the 22 – and with Lamont moving to inside centre Joe Ansbro comes in outside him, Mike Blair steps up at scrum-half and Simon Danielli returns to the wing for the first time since scoring two tries in the opening pool match with Romania.

With the exception of scrum-half, this marks a return to the back line that played against England at Twickenham in March and came very close to claiming a first win in London since 1983.

In the forward pack, Euan Murray – who missed the Pumas match as it was on his Sunday, conflicting with his religious beliefs – returns as expected at tighthead prop in place of Geoff Cross, skipper Alastair Kellock is back in alongside Richie Gray, taking over from Jim Hamilton, and Richie Vernon is recalled at No 8 for Brown.

At stand-off, Ruaridh Jackson keeps his starting place, with Dan Parks on the bench.

On the thinking behind the raft of changes, Robinson explained: “We need to put a bit more pace in the team and then get the balance right, because you still have to be able to establish a go-forward. We have to play through England because we won’t be able to beat them by running around them.

“The back line is one that has played together, and we have looked at the game against England in the Six Nations. Mikeis a different type of runner to Rory, and Rory moved the ball well in the games he played, but I feel that Mike, with Chris [Cusiter] coming off the bench, add a running threat in terms of the way we want to ask questions of England at nine.

“Sean [Lamont] did well in the Six Nations when asked to do that role and we felt he was confident coming in there and we need a ball-carrier that can buy us some time to get players into position, and he was up to ten or 11 carries last week on the wing, and we expect him to carry more in the centre.

“We turned over ball in the first half and that was down to players getting isolated but also support not getting there. We have to be able to hold on to the ball. But we have 30 quality players in the side and I believe all can perform for Scotland. The selection has been around the teams we want to play and the way we want to play.

“Al comes back in as captain as well. It was a tough week for Al last week but he handled it well and deserves to come back. Kelly [Brown] is disappointed. He got a head knock and has had a couple now, and with the protocols safety is the key factor in sport and something we must get right. He went on the bike on Wednesday and still had headaches so there was no way he could play.”

On the overall thinking, Robinson added: “We can’t go on the pitch and chase the game. We have to get the scoreboard moving right at the start of the game, but also play what’s in front of us.

“This is the next challenge for me and the players they are really excited. That’s what I look at, you gauge the size of the challenge from the concentration that’s there, the buzz around the team not just because we’re playing England but because of the challenge that’s there. We’re going to focus on winning a Test match.”

On the unavailability of Brown, Scotland team doctor James Robson said: “Happily, Kelly has made a very quick recovery from the initial event but we recognise it was a concussion episode and therefore we have been treating him according to the IRB protocol.

“Under these guidelines Kelly is ineligible for selection for this weekend’s game against England. You can return to play one week later but given this is a six-day turnaround Kelly cannot play within that timescale.”

Paterson was picked out for particular praise by Robinson as the Edinburgh full-back will set another new record of 15 World Cup games, which overtakes the figure of 14 set by Doddie Weir.