Kellock back to skipper Scots
Alastair Kellock’s return as captain was one of six changes announced on Thursday in a Scotland team which must defeat England in Auckland on Saturday to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the seventh straight time.
In a Pool B match which the Scots must win by more than seven points to keep their hopes alive, coach Andy Robinson made three changes to the backs and three to the pack.
Kellock takes over at lock from Jim Hamilton, Euan Murray, who missed Sunday’s 13-12 loss to Argentina due to his religious beliefs, is back at prop in place of Geoff Cross and Richie Vernon replaces Kelly Brown at No.8.
Brown suffered concussion in the closing stages of the game against the Pumas, which Scotland agonisingly lost to a try seven minutes from time, and under tournament rules he cannot play again before a full week has passed.
Mike Blair gets the start at scrumhalf in place of Rory Lawson, who was captain against the Pumas, Simon Danielli comes in on the wing, with Sean Lamont moving inside to replace Graeme Morrison at centre where he will partner Joe Ansbro replacing Nick De Luca.
Chris Paterson is retained at fullback and will play his 15th World Cup match for Scotland, setting a new record by going ahead of Doddie Weir who he shared the previous record with.
“The stage is set for what I am sure will be an occasion worthy of everything this fixture means to both countries and their supporters,” said Robinson, who previously coached England.
“The atmosphere in Wellington [against Argentina] last weekend was exceptional but I believe at a sell-out Eden Park on Saturday it will be even better.
“What this weekend is about once again though is doing everything we can to win a Test match and qualify for the knockout matches.”
Scotland haven’t beaten England by more than seven points for 25 years and they haven’t done it outside Scotland since 1983.
The match at Eden Park will be the 129th occasion the countries have met stretching back 140 years to the very first rugby international played at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh in 1871.
It will, however, be the first time the two countries have faced up to each other on neutral soil.
Kellock, who missed out on the match-day 22 for the game against Argentina said that Scotland had to get the balance right between going for the points they need and keeping the England backs in check.
“We can’t go chasing things too early, you won’t win Test matches that way so we’ve got to be there or thereabouts in the last 10 or 15 minutes and take it from there,” he said.
“How we get those eight points doesn’t really matter to me, we go out with the intention of scoring tries but if we get them off Chris’s [Paterson] boot then we’ll take them that way as well.”
The match at Eden Park will be the 129th occasion the countries have met stretching back 140 years to the very first rugby international played at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh in 1871. History is thus made this weekend as it will be the first time the auld enemy has been faced on neutral soil.
Head coach Andy Robinson said: “The stage is set for what I am sure will be an occasion worthy of everything this fixture means to both countries and their supporters. The atmosphere in Wellington last weekend was exceptional but I believe at a sell-out Eden Park on Saturday it will be even better.
“What this weekend is about once again though is doing everything we can to win a Test match and qualify for the knockout matches.”
Scotland: 15 Chris Paterson, 14 Max Evans, 13 Joe Ansbro, 12 Sean Lamont, 11 Simon Danielli, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Richie Vernon, 7 John Barclay, 6 Ally Strokosch, 5 Alastair Kellock (captain), 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Nathan Hines, 19 Ross Rennie, 20 Chris Cusiter, 21 Dan Parks, 22 Nick de Luca.
Date: Saturday, October 1
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 20.30 (07.30 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Jérôme Garces (France)
TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)
