Danielli Recalled As Scotland Set Sights On Series Win
16 Jun 2010
Scotland have made one change and two further positional switches from the team that started the victory over Argentina last weekend for the second and final Test of the series in Mar del Plata this Saturday.Simon Danielli, the strong-running winger, whose contribution to Scotland’s victory over Ireland in Dublin as a late substitute was much-lauded by the team management, returns to win his 26th cap on the left wing. His introduction sees Sean Lamont move to the right wing and Max Evans redeployed to outside centre. As a consequence Nick De Luca is omitted from the starting XV and is now on the bench instead of the unlucky Jim Thompson, while another change among the substitutes sees Alasdair Dickinson, recovered from an abdominal upset, replace Geoff Cross. Head coach Andy Robinson has challenged his players to make history this weekend – by becoming the first Scotland team to win a cap Test series overseas.He, and his fellow coaches, have also warned the players not to assume anything following their 24-16 success in Tucuman.”That’s in the past now. It’s a new game on Saturday. The scoreboard starts at 0-0 and the Pumas await,” Robinson said.”I’ve brought in Simon Danielli and moved Max Evans to his normal centre spot which he plays for Glasgow having looked at the way we want to attack Argentina in the outside channels.”Simon runs hard, is pretty direct and I’ve been impressed by his form for Ulster in the Magners League, where he has been a regular try scorer. “Both Max and Nick De Luca did well in the game. I felt Max made a number of line-breaks and looked pretty dangerous throughout and it was for him to start because of that.”Selection was a tough call for a number of players and, as management, we’ve expressed our admiration for the commitment of the entire squad to securing a win on Saturday.”Robinson is an advocate of midweek matches on tours thus ensuring that all members of a tour squad have a chance to play and state their claim for a Test berth and the new IRB tours schedule recently announced will allow that to happen going forward.One landmark in the selection sees Ross Ford, equal back-row forward John Jeffrey as the most-capped player from the Kelso club when he wins his 40th cap on Saturday.Scotland team (sponsor Murray) to play Argentina in the second Test at Mar del Plata Saturday 19 June, kick-off 3.45pm local time 15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais) 53 caps, 40 points through 8 tries 14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 46 caps, 35 points through 7 tries13 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps, 10 points through 2 tries12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 24 caps, 15 points through 3 tries11 Simon Danielli (Ulster) 25 caps, 30 points through 6 tries 10 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) 52 caps, 164 points through 4 tries, 9 conversions, 31 penalties and 11 drop-goals9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) vice-captain 19 caps 1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) 46 caps2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh) 39 caps, 10 points through 2 tries3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps4 Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh) 28 caps5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN 26 caps6 Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 36 caps, 15 points through 3 tries8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps, 15 points through 3 tries7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 19 caps, 10 points through 2 tries Substitutes16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 21 caps, 10 points through 2 tries17 Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester) 17 caps18 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh) 21 caps19 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 16 caps, 1 try through 5 points20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) 63 caps, 25 points through 5 tries21 Phil Godman (Edinburgh) 23 caps, 71 points through 1 try, 12 conversions and 14 penalties22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh) 18 capsOfficialsReferee: Christophe Berdos (France). Assistant referees: Stuart Dickinson (Australia) and Dave Pearson (England). Hear Simon Danielli’s reaction to his recall:
