Paterson makes it a four-peat
Chris Paterson will become the first Scottish player to appear at four World Cup tournaments after he was named to face Romania in Invercargill on Saturday.
The 105-Test veteran, Scotland’s record points scorer and cap-holder, has been handed the fullback jersey for the clash against the eastern Europeans at Rugby Park Stadium.
Paterson, who made his international debut against Spain in 1999 World Cup, is included in a strong Scotland side for their opening game in Pool B.
British and Irish Lion Mike Blair is selected at scrumhalf ahead of Gloucester’s Rory Lawson and Chris Cusiter, while Glasgow youngster Ruaridh Jackson gets the nod ahead of the more experienced Dan Parks.
Elsewhere, in a team that shows eight changes from Scotland’s last international against Italy last month, congratulations are in order for hooker Ross Ford who will win his 50th cap on Saturday. Ford thus becomes the 31st Scot to reach that landmark.
Head coach Andy Robinson said he was “delighted” that Ross will win his 50th cap.
“He’s a great competitor who always works hard on the training pitch and is never content to ‘just get by’. His game is about always seeking to improve.”
The selection also represented the perfect 32nd birthday present for wing Simon Danielli.
On the last occasion the World Cup was in the southern hemisphere, in 2003 in Australia, Danielli marked his first appearance in the competition by scoring a try against Japan in Townsville and the Scotland supporters who have given the squad such an enthusiastic and warm welcome in Invercargill will be looking for an encore eight years on.
“We have picked a strong side for the start of the World Cup,” Robinson said, adding: “There is competition for places and we could easily have picked another team, as we did in the warm-up games.
“As always, our key objective this weekend is to win the game and thus get a foothold in the tournament and build from there.
“We respect Romania, who are a young side and are developing together. But we have trained really well in the last three months and now it is all about going out and delivering when it matters.”
Graeme Morrison, the only player to start both warm-up matches last month, is rested after suffering a slight injury during training this week on Australia’s Gold Coast though is expected to start against Georgia next Wednesday.
Sean Lamont and Joe Ansbro start in Scotland’s midfield instead.
Robinson said: “Graeme picked up a knock in training, so we have rested him for the first game. He would have been fit to play, but not two games so close together, especially considering the likely physicality of the games. We want him to play the second game.”
Captain Alastair Kellock starts in the second row alongside rising star Richie Gray, picked ahead of Lion Nathan Hines, and they pack down behind the front row trio Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Geoff Cross, re-instated among eight changes to the side that beat Italy three weeks ago in Edinburgh. That means no room in the match-day 22 for either Jim Hamilton or Euan Murray.
Despite being the last team to arrive in New Zealand for the World Cup, Scotland believe their historic link to the country will make them the host nation’s second team of choice.
Team manager Dougie Potter said: “There are is a lot of people living in this area who are Scottish descendants but it is only when you get to the country that you realize just how many there are.
“That has really helped the players focus and we are determined to make Scotland the second favourites of the tournament for the Kiwis.”
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 Kelly Brown, 5 Alastair Kellock (captain), 4 Richie Gray, 3 Geoff Cross, 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 Rory Lamont.
Date: Saturday, September 10
Venue: Rugby Park, Invercargill
Kick-off: 13.00 (01.00 GMT)
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Vinny Munro (New Zealand), Tim Hayes (Wales)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
