Scotland wary of Wallabies
Vern Cotter made four changes, two of them enforced, to the Scotland
starting XV for Sunday's World Cup quarter-final with Australia from the
one that edged Samoa 36-33 last Saturday.

Will Genia |
Hooker Fraser Brown and lock Tim Swinson come in for the suspended
Ross Ford and Jonny Gray respectively -- even though the Scots have
appealed against the three week bans imposed on the duo.
Cotter also brought in Blair Cowan in the backrow replacing Ryan
Wilson, who was sin-binned during the Samoa game, and centre Peter Horne
comes in for Matthew Scott. Cotter, whose work since he arrived in May
2014 is starting to bear fruit with the Scots having shown a marked
improvement at the World Cup, said that his side would not be going into
the game with an inferiority complex.

Scotland’s Finn Russell |
"It's always nice to be part of the final eight of any qualifying
competition, the guys are very excited about being here," said the
53-year-old New Zealander, who was lured to the Scotland post from Top
14 giants Clermont.
"We will go into this game with the belief that we can compete with
and dominate a very strong Australian team, and move forward to the last
four.
"They are a front-foot momentum team so defence will be key but also
getting our hands on the ball and expressing ourselves as we like to,"
added Cotter, who guided Clermont to an elusive first French title in
2010, although his side became known as chokers for numerous failures in
the decisive stages of both domestic and European competition.
New Zealand-born Cowan, who was called up as a replacement during the
tournament, will fill a back row of players with roots outside of
Scotland alongside Zimbabwe-born David Denton and another KiThe side
will be captained by scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, who kicked all the points
when the Scots pulled off a rare win in Australia in 2012, beating the
Wallabies in appalling weather conditions 12-6.
Laidlaw, who finished the pool stage as the leading points scorer
with 60, captains the side for the 21st time, four behind record-holder
David Sole and only needs one penalty on Sunday to reach the landmark of
100 in Test rugby.
America-born wing Tommy Seymour could equal the Scottish record of
scoring in successive Test matches on Sunday as he has touched down in
his past four, with former fly-half Gregor Townsend holding the mark of
five from 1999.
Scotland have only once ever reached the semi-finals of the
quadrennial global showpiece, in 1991 when they lost to hosts England.
Meanwhile, Cotter has drafted Rory Sutherland, 23, into the 31 man
squad in place of the injured Ryan Grant who suffered a hamstring injury
in training this week.
(AFP) |