Rugby: 'A' team coach believes in experience

Scotland A head coach Nick Scrivener has backed his players to use their experience of top level rugby to produce a winning performance against USA Eagles at Netherdale tomorrow night.

The match-day 22 named by Scrivener and his assistant Stevie Scott boasts more than 60 full Scotland caps and close to 100 A team appearances.

The side will be captained by Al Kellock, the Glasgow lock who skippered Scotland to a historic series win in Argentina back in June before undergoing knee surgery.

Scrivener said: "For what is a pretty young group, there's a lot of experience in there, and the challenge now is to make it count. The whole focus and object of the exercise is doing whatever it takes to win the game, and I'm confident the guys we've selected have the ability and the mentality to make sure we do just that."

Six members of the full Scotland squad for the autumn Tests have been given the opportunity to push their case in the Borders.

Scott Lawson, who came off the bench against New Zealand last weekend, will start in the front row alongside Geoff Cross, while Joe Ansbro, Jim Thompson, Ben Cairns and Alex Grove all get an outing behind the scrum.

Elsewhere, back-row duo Rob Harley (Glasgow) and Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) are rewarded for their fine form with the Scotland under-20 side last season and their pro-teams this term.

Also making the step up from the under-20s are back-rower David Denton, scrum-half Henry Pyrgos and stand-off Duncan Weir. Lee Jones, the Edinburgh wing, will make his first A team appearance.

Eight players who were involved in the A team's last outing, the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest five months ago, are in the 22 for the USA game. Thompson, Cairns, Blair and Traynor all have another chance to impress, as do Fraser McKenzie, Mark McMillan, Jack Cuthbert and Edinburgh captain Roddy Grant.

There could be a first Scotland representative appearance for Tom Ryder, the Saracens back-five forward who spent the first part of this season on loan at Glasgow. Steven Lawrie, the former Edinburgh hooker who has played for the national under-19, under-21, club international and 7s teams, has been selected after encouraging displays with Doncaster Knights.

Scrivener continued: "There's been a very clear link between the As and the senior side in the last couple of years, so there's no shortage of incentives for the boys to deliver.

"We've watched the USA's (recent] games against Saracens and Portugal and there's no doubt they'll be tough opposition. It should be a really good spectacle for supporters, and with admission being free, hopefully we'll get a really good crowd like last November against Tonga.The encouragement the fans gave that night meant a lot to the players, and it would be great to hear the same again."

lThe Scotland A captain's run at Netherdale today is open to the public from 4pm. Supporters who wish to attend are advised to consult www.scottishrugby.org for news on any change in venue brought about by poor weather conditions.

Scotland A v USA Eagles at Netherdale

Tomorrow, kick-off 7:30pm

15 Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)

14 Joe Ansbro (Northampton)

13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)

12 Alex Grove (Edinburgh)

11 Lee Jones (Edinburgh)

10 David Blair (Edinburgh)

9 Mark McMillan (Bath)

1 Jon Welsh (Glasgow)

2 Scott Lawson (Gloucester)

3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh)

4 Fraser McKenzie (Edinburgh)

5 Al Kellock (Glasgow, captain)

6 Rob Harley (Glasgow)

7 Roddy Grant (Edinburgh)

8 Stuart McInally (Edinburgh)

Substitutes

16 Steven Lawrie (Doncaster), 17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh), 18 Tom Ryder (Saracens), 19 David Denton (Edinburgh), 20 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow), 21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow), 22 Jack Cuthbert (Bath)