Ford Awarded First Scotland Start

Border Reivers hooker Ross Ford has been awarded his first Scotland start this weekend as the national team face France in the final game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship. Introduced to the team are Ford and scrum-half Rory Lawson, both making their first starts for their country, wing Nikki Walker, his first starting cap for five years, centre Andrew Henderson and No 8 Johnnie Beattie.Border Reivers hooker Ross Ford has been awarded his first Scotland start this weekend as the national team face France in the final game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship. Introduced to the team are Ford and scrum-half Rory Lawson, both making their first starts for their country, wing Nikki Walker, his first starting cap for five years, centre Andrew Henderson and No 8 Johnnie Beattie. Scotland head coach Frank Hadden said: “We are keen to give Ross Ford, Johnnie Beattie and Rory Lawson an opportunity to start a Six Nations match in order for us to learn a bit more about them. We are confident in their ability and they get this chance to prove they are capable of starting a game of this importance. “I believe we are going to Paris with a real opportunity not just to show we are capable of performing better than in our last two matches but actually of winning the game. I base that on the fact that the Borders came within a hair’s breadth of winning in Biarritz earlier this season, Edinburgh, likewise in Agen and that Glasgow did win in Narbonne.” Scotland team (sponsor The Famous Grouse) to play France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Stade de France, Paris on Saturday 17 March, kick-off 3.30pm GMT 15 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN 14 Sean Lamont (Northampton Saints) 13 Rob Dewey (Edinburgh Rugby) 12 Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors) 11 Nikki Walker (The Ospreys) 10 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) 9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) 1 Gavin Kerr (Border Reivers) 2 Ross Ford (Border Reivers)* 3 Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors)* 4 Nathan Hines (Perpignan) 5 Scott Murray (Edinburgh Rugby) 6 Simon Taylor (Edinburgh Rugby)* 8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)* 7 Kelly Brown (Border Reivers)* Substitutes 16 Dougie Hall (Edinburgh Rugby) 17 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby) 18 Jim Hamilton (Leicester Tigers) 19 Allister Hogg (Edinburgh Rugby)* 20 Chris Cusiter (Border Reivers)* 21 Marcus Di Rollo (Edinburgh Rugby) 22 Rory Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) * = Member of Scottish Institute of Sport Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa). Touch-judges: Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan). TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)