Last season’s Edinburgh Player of the Year, Alan MacDonald has deservedly been called into Scotland’s starting line-up for the home Test against Argentina on Saturday (28 November, kick off 2.30pm).
Following the 9-8 victory over Australia last weekend, head coach Andy Robinson describes the three changes to the team as “subtle”. They see 24-year-old flanker MacDonald introduced for his first cap, alongside the return of Ben Cairns (his fellow Royal High School former pupil) and Thom Evans in the back division, with Alex Grove moving to inside centre.
Tickets are on sale now from £10 for adults and £5 for under-18s and students and can be bought online until 12 midnight on Friday at www.scottishrugby.org. Click here to watch Alan in action in the mid-season Magners League review on Edinburgh Rugby TV.
The alternations have been undertaken with a view to delivering a win against Argentina who are above Scotland in the IRB world rankings.
Robinson said: “We do have competition for places and last weekend was about two international victories at Murrayfield against Australia and at Netherdale against Tonga. Australia was a very physical international and that is now history. This selection is about the management of our squad and giving players that performed in the A team an opportunity to deliver a win for Scotland.”
On the new cap Robinson said: “Alan MacDonald has been playing well for Scotland A. His continuity skills are very good and he deserves this chance.”
Scotland team (sponsor Murray) to play Argentina in the Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Test on Saturday 28 November at Murrayfield (kick-off 2.30pm)
15 Rory Lamont (Toulon)
14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh) 12 Alex Grove (Worcester Warriors) 11 Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
10 Phil Godman (Edinburgh) 9 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN
1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) 2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh) 3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 4 Nathan Hines (Leinster) 5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors) 7 Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh) *
Substitutes
16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors) 17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh) 18 Jason White (Clermont Auvergne) 19 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) 20 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) 21 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) 22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
Discounted through injury: Mike Blair (Edinburgh) *= New cap
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland). Touch-judges: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland) and Stuart Terheege (England). TMO: Tony Rowlands (Wales)
Tickets priced from £10 for adults and £5 for under-18s and students are on sale via the credit card hotline 0844 335 3933; through the Scottish Rugby website www.scottishrugby.org; or in person from the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre, Murrayfield Stadium, which is open 9am- 8pm Monday-Friday. Please note a booking fee applies for all credit card transactions and that no tickets are sold on match day.
Anyone buying an adult ticket at £20 or above (and the corresponding concessions) for the 2009 Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests will again have the opportunity to attend the Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors Magners League derby at Murrayfield, part of the 1872 Cup, on 2 January 2010 (kick-off 3.05pm).
