Cusiter wins scrum-half battle - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Cusiter wins scrum-half battle

10/11/2009 08:41:36 AM Comments (0)

Chris Cusiter will lead Scotland in former England coach Andy Robinson's first rugby Test in charge, against Fiji at Murrayfield on Saturday, with co-captain and scrum-half rival Mike Blair on the bench.

Earlier this month Robinson took the unusual decision of not only naming co-captains but splitting the role between players in the same position.

However a clearer idea of who really is Robinson's first-choice scrum-half will come, provided both Cusiter and Edinburgh captain Blair are still fit, when he names his side to play Australia at Murrayfield on November 21.

Elsewhere in his line-up for Fiji, Robinson handed a debut to 21-year-old centre Alex Grove, who plays his club rugby for English Premiership side Worcester, while tight-head prop Moray Low is due to make his first Test start.

Meanwhile ace goalkicker Chris Paterson is on the bench, with Phil Godman at fly-half and Rory Lamont at full-back.

In all there are ten changes in personnel from the Scotland team that started their last international against England at Twickenham in March, where a 26-12 loss marked the end of Frank Hadden's reign as coach.

This will be Robinson's first Test in charge of Scotland since his appointment in June and he said in a Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) statement issued Monday: "We have selected a side that's full of power; that has the pace but also has the skill level to break down the Fijians.

"Fiji are above us in the IRB (International Rugby Board) rankings (ninth to Scotland's tenth).

"They are a very dangerous team to play against. They are a very strong, powerful side who also hit very hard (in the tackle). We have to match fire with fire," former Edinburgh coach and ex-England flanker Robinson added.

Scotland complete this month's Test programme against World Cup semi-finalists Argentina on November 28.

Scotland team to play Fiji in the one-off international at Murrayfield on Saturday (1430GMT):

(15-1)

Rory Lamont; Sean Lamont, Alex Grove, Graeme Morrison, Simon Danielli; Phil Godman, Chris Cusiter (capt); Johnnie Beattie, John Barclay, Alasdair Strokosch; Alastair Kellock, Nathan Hines; Moray Low, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen

Replacements: Dougie Hall, Kyle Traynor, Jason White, Richie Vernon, Mike Blair, Chris Paterson, Nick de Luca.

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