January 31, 2006

Scotland team to face France

Posted by Editor on January 31, 2006 11:00 AM | 20 comments | Print | E-mail author

Andy Henderson is at centre for Scotland
Coach Frank Hadden has made three changes to the Scotland team that lost to New Zealand in the autumn for Sunday's opening RBS 6 Nations Championship match against France at Murrayfield.

Mike Blair wins the nod at scrum-half ahead of Chris Cusiter, Dougie Hall is preferred to Scott Lawson at hooker and Alastair Kellock will make his first appearance in the Six Nations at lock instead of Craig Hamilton.

At scrum-half Hadden said: "We are in a most fortunate position to have some real talent there and, as ever, it was a close call. Mike will start against France because he's in good form. He came on for Chris in the game against New Zealand and did well, so deserves a start.

"It is very much a case of horses for courses and I am sure that Chris will have an opportunity at some point in the championship.

"There's tremendous competition at hooker where Ross Ford is also hammering on the door. We monitored Dougie exceptionally closely during the Autumn Tests and he starts in front of Scott Lawson on this occasion.

"Alastair Kellock has been a key figure for Edinburgh this season. He has nudged himself up the pecking order and is maturing into a powerful and athletic second row."

At stand-off Dan Parks retains that berth in front of Gordon Ross who did not feature during the autumn. Hadden said: "Dan compared most favourably to the three stand-offs he was up against in the Autumn."

Jason White will captain Scotland for the fourth time as he wins his 50th cap. Hadden said: "It's a fantastic milestone for Jason and I congratulate him on becoming the 20th Scot to win 50 or more international caps."

Looking ahead to Sunday's contest Hadden said: "It's a mouth-watering prospect playing against arguably one of the top two sides in the world, particularly after we played against one of the other top sides in the world in our last game. The challenge for us is to see what progress we have made since then."

Scotland team (sponsor The Famous Grouse) to play France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at Murrayfield on Sunday 5 February (kick-off 3pm)

15 Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh Gunners)

14 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh Gunners)
13 Marcus Di Rollo (Edinburgh Gunners)
12 Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Sean Lamont (Northampton Saints)

10 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Gunners)*

1 Gavin Kerr (Leeds Tykes)
2 Dougie Hall (Edinburgh Gunners)
3 Bruce Douglas (Border Reivers)
4 Alastair Kellock (Edinburgh Gunners)*
5 Scott Murray (Edinburgh Gunners)
6 Jason White (Sale Sharks) CAPTAIN
8 Simon Taylor (Edinburgh Gunners)
7 Allister Hogg (Edinburgh Gunners)*

Substitutes

16 Scott Lawson (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Craig Smith (Edinburgh Gunners)
18 Scott MacLeod (Border Reivers)
19 Jon Petrie (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Chris Cusiter (Border Reivers)*
21 Gordon Ross (Leeds Tykes)
22 Simon Webster (Edinburgh Gunners)

*= Member of Scottish Institute of Sport

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa). Touch-judges: Kelvin Deaker and Steve Walsh (New Zealand). TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

Comments
Posted by bossco85 on January 31, 2006 01:34 PM | Reply to this comment

is this team actually edinburgh in disguise?
well done to the glasgow boys who made it in, disapointed scott isnt starting or JP but what can you do.

Posted by markk on January 31, 2006 02:39 PM | Reply to this comment

i think we are lucky to have 4 players involved at all. maybe when we are down to 2 or 1 a few senior players might start pulling there weight and send the glasgow coaches packing. isn't that the tradition? new coach every 2-3 years?

Posted by gemma on January 31, 2006 04:18 PM | Reply to this comment

Surprised to see that Craig Hamilton has no involvemnt at all?????

Posted by collette on January 31, 2006 04:21 PM | Reply to this comment

Where the Hell is Rory Lamont??

Posted by big john on January 31, 2006 05:56 PM | Reply to this comment

I'm suprised that Rory didn't get on a game on the wing. There has been a position created for Paterson. Paterson should start on the bench as he is ideal cover for various positions, but not worth a start in any of them. Can't work out why Rory doesn't even merit a place on the bench. Maybe he played to well during the demolition of Edinburgh at Firhill.
The back row looks good. I wouldn't play John Petrie, he is a good player but not good enough to dislodge any of the guys in front of him in the team.
And well done for sticking with Dan Parks........... maybe he will perform in the way he does for Glasgow. Hope the dafties in the crowd who have in the past have given him a bit of stick, shut up and get behind him and Scotland..

Posted by vicki on January 31, 2006 08:09 PM | Reply to this comment

Couldn't have said it better myself, John. If the coach sees him as the best stand-off available, then how about everyone gets behind him? Considering the abuse he takes from the press and various message boards, Parks has shown he's a strong character, and hopefully he will have a hugely successful 6N.

Posted by Jinty on January 31, 2006 10:55 PM | Reply to this comment

Good luck to the Glasgow boys and especially Dan who always looks nervous at Murrayfield - play like you can at your best.
If any of those Edinburgh supporters start on about him again I am going to damage them this time!!

Posted by Alan on January 31, 2006 11:12 PM | Reply to this comment

Edinburgh=Scotland ..been obvious for a long time. On the other hand, you have to admit that some of the Glasgow guys have managed to play themselves out of the international team of late... but Rory should at least be on the bench beside JP ..and I doubt if anyone except Glasgow fans will cheer for Dan even tho' he is the better No 10.. let's hope he shuts them up this time!
Go JP when you get on..(sorry, but would be captain if it had not been for that injury!)

Posted by garyipa on February 1, 2006 08:10 AM | Reply to this comment

You better hope he has a good game then!

Posted by Donald on February 1, 2006 12:22 AM | Reply to this comment

Once you factor in that Paterson "must" play then Rory is up against Sean & others for the other wing slot as it seems Paterson is not going to be given the full back berth any longer.

Posted by uineill on February 1, 2006 06:14 AM | Reply to this comment

Let Rory develop at 15 and wait 4...

Posted by Moody Blue on February 1, 2006 02:10 PM | Reply to this comment

It's hard to see what other Glasgow players could have made it in.
Granted Rory Lamont maybe, but in the XV it would have been a toss up with Southwell - some you win, some you lose. On the bench, Hadden thinks Webster can disrupt things coming on late in the centre as well as cover wing, and again there is some merit in that argument. Graeme Morrison - better than Andy Henderson? Euan Murray - let him get a few uninterrupted games under his belt. Scott Lawson - again, Hadden has explained his choice - Lawson wins hands down at line out but Hall is better scrummager - needed against France. Hamilton - have to agree with FH again - he doesn't do it every week, and he doesn't do it for whole games. Petrie - unlucky, to be competing against 3 top players. McFadyen, injured.

Posted by McDruid on February 1, 2006 11:41 PM | Reply to this comment

No, Scotland is not Edinburgh in disguise. Rather Edinburgh is Scotland in disguise. The national team is concentrated in the Edinburgh Water-pistols in the hope that a Scottish team will make the quarter-finals, or further, in the Heineken cup. That is also the reason why the Borders and Glasgow come a poor second in the funding queue, which is fixed regardless of Celtic League and Heineken Cup performance.

Irrespective of whatever loyalty Glasgow supporters feel for Dan Parks, he has not cut the mustard at test level. Nor will Scotland until Paterson is played at No.10.

Posted by big john on February 2, 2006 11:41 AM | Reply to this comment

Irrespective of what Paterson was before he joined the ranks of the pro team structure. He is not currently a stand off. Either for his pro team or for the national team. Paterson has sadly missed the boat, and in my opinion merits a place on the bench at the present time to provide cover for the numerous positions he can cover. He is not the best option at any of those positions right now.
I agree with Telfer, that Colin Gregor is the future at outside half for Scotland. However needs to remain behind Dan Parks certainly for this campaign. I don't imagine that he'll have to wait for too long for his chance, as Dan Parks will no doubt, get fed up with the constant abuse from the press and the crowd at Murrayfield, and head home.

Posted by Boxing Kangaroo on February 3, 2006 03:37 AM | Reply to this comment

Dan Parks has been crucified because of poor coaching tactics given to him in the past. When he was in Oz he was allowed to run the show without interference, and was a champion. He was also a A1 goal kicker, which gave him added confidence. The NSW, Newcastle Rugby League Club made overtures to him to play for them, and as a replacement for Andrew Johns if he left the club. So Parksy must have been doing something right. I reckon the Oz Union team would love to have him back because they're in bad shape, and devoid of a class number 10. You Scotty knockers need to get off his back.

Posted by The Pirate on February 5, 2006 08:19 AM | Reply to this comment

It is good to see the scottish public are behind there countrymen with the abuse than Dan cops off everyone. He will not be running anywhere too soon even with all the crap he gets. Frank Hadden has the confidence in him so why dont you people do the same and maybe he will show you what he has got when his supporters actually get behind him. Good Luck today Parksy, play your game and you will be right.

Posted by Weegie on February 5, 2006 02:01 PM | Reply to this comment

Hadden's confidence in Parks was only due to the fact that he did not have enough time to teach Ross all the move codes which he had missed because he plays for Leeds and not Edinburgh. Ipse dixit!

Posted by McDruid on February 5, 2006 01:55 PM | Reply to this comment

Presumably when Dan Parks heads for home it will be in Australia, not Scotland!

Posted by The Pirate on February 5, 2006 06:54 PM | Reply to this comment

Why would he want to stay in Scotland with confidence boosting fans like yourselves. He has committed to Scotland and he will continue too until you finally drive him out, By the way well done to the team for beating the French even some of the fans cant say well done on the effort and give some credit where it is due. Well done to Frank for playing positively lets hope this is the start of something great so keep up the work...

Posted by vicki on February 5, 2006 10:04 PM | Reply to this comment

There are plenty of supporters who are behind Dan, but it must be really ruining some people's weekends that Dan had a good performance in such an overall great game by the team.

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