Scots club coach Ian Rankin hopes familiarity breeds success against foes

Scotland's club international rugby team will be looking to maintain a trend when entertaining Irish counterparts at Galashiels tonight.

Each of the previous four encounters have gone with home advantage and this time around Scotland will be looking to draw on understandings gained from the fact the starting line-up is drawn from just five clubs.

Scotland manager Ian Rankin says: "These matches are always tight with the standard getting better every year - there's very little between the sides.

"Our strengths come in experience. A number of the Scotland players have played at this level on a number of occasions before while the majority of the players have the benefit of playing in the British and Irish Cup, which has helped to develop the pace and intensity of our play."

Champions Currie provide the only Edinburgh starting reps in full back Tom Brown who has Magners League appearances under his belt this season along with No.?8 Ross Weston and scrum half Richard Snedden, who was outstanding as Aberdeen were dispatched in a Scottish Cup tie last weekend.

Captaining the Scots will be John Dalziel, who was cleared to play by a Murrayfield disciplinary panel after being sent off for acquiring two yellow cards in Melrose's win at Hawks last weekend.

Dalziel led the Scots in their only outing so far this season - a 30-18 defeat by France in Orleans.

Spearheading the Irish line-up will be stand off Barry Keeshan, consistently one of the highest points scorers at domestic level.