Scotland Make Four Changes To Starting Line-Up

Head coach Andy Robinson has made four changes in personnel to the Scotland starting line-up for Saturday’s EMC Autumn Test against world champions South Africa at Murrayfield. Rory Lawson, 29, who will be making his first start in an international at Murrayfield as he wins his 21st cap, will captain Scotland for the first time, replacing Mike Blair who has been ruled out of contention after being concussed in last weekend’s game against the All Blacks. Lawson, grandson of the late and much-respected Voice of Rugby, Bill McLaren, and son of the former Scotland scrum-half Alan Lawson, becomes Scotland’s 111th Test match captain. Head coach Andy Robinson has made four changes in personnel to the Scotland starting line-up for Saturday’s EMC Autumn Test against world champions South Africa at Murrayfield. Rory Lawson, 29, who will be making his first start in an international at Murrayfield as he wins his 21st cap, will captain Scotland for the first time, replacing Mike Blair who has been ruled out of contention after being concussed in last weekend’s game against the All Blacks. Lawson, grandson of the late and much-respected Voice of Rugby, Bill McLaren, and son of the former Scotland scrum-half Alan Lawson, becomes Scotland’s 111th Test match captain. Elsewhere in the back division Nikki Walker, who scored Scotland’s winning try in their 21-6 triumph against South Africa at Murrayfield in 2002, will make his first start since the 2008 Autumn Tests as he replaces Rory Lamont on the wing. In the pack, Scott MacLeod, who has shown outstanding improvement for Edinburgh this season and who played a decisive role in Scotland’s second Test win in Argentina in June when he was introduced as a second-half substitute for Al Kellock, returns to win his 23rd cap.  He will partner Richie Gray in the boilerhouse. In the back-row Nathan Hines, who scored a try against the Springboks on their last visit to Murrayfield two years ago, will bring his vast experience to bear from blindside flanker with Kelly Brown moving to No 8 to the exclusion of Richie Vernon. On the bench, Dougie Hall is preferred to Scott Lawson, his Glasgow Warriors team-mate Moray Low comes in for the injured Alasdair Dickinson and Scotland’s cap centurion, Chris Paterson, is involved in a Scotland 22 for the first time since his landmark day in Cardiff ended with a kidney injury. Robinson said: “We have to show to Scotland’s supporters this weekend that we are ready to face up to the intensely physical challenge that the South Africans always present. “The players are pledged to deliver a much-improved performance this weekend and I believe they can restore pride in the Scotland jersey.” Scotland team (sponsor Murray) to play South Africa in the EMC Autumn TestMurrayfield on Saturday 20 November (kick-off 2.30pm) 15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais) 55 caps, 8 tries, 40 points 14 Nikki Walker (Ospreys) 16 caps, 4 tries, 20 points13 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors) 14 caps, 2 tries, 10 points12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 26 caps, 3 tries, 15 points11 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 48 caps, 7 tries, 35 points 10 Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) 54 caps, 4 tries,  10 conversions, 34 penalties, 11 drop-goals,  175 points9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester) 20 caps CAPTAIN 1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) 48 caps2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh) 41caps, 2 tries, 10 points3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints) 33 caps, 2 tries, 10 points4 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh) 22 caps5 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps6 Nathan Hines (Leinster) 65 caps, 2 tries, 10 points8 Kelly Brown (Saracens) 38 caps, 3 tries, 15 points7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 21 caps, 2 tries, 10 points Substitutes 16 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps17 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps18 Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps19 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) 2 caps20 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh) 1 cap21 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap22 Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) 100 caps, 22 tries, 153 penalties, 87 conversions, 3 drop goals, 752 points Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia).,Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland) and Francisco Pastrama (Argentina), Television Match Official: Tony Redmond (Ireland).Notes to editors:  Tickets for the Scotland v South Africa EMC Autumn Test are priced at£20,£25 and£45 for adults and£10,£12.50 and£22.50 for children and students and are on sale now through three routes – via www.scottishrugby.org; the 24 hour hotline (until midnight on Friday) 0844 335 3933; or in person from 9am-8pm until Friday (19 November) from the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre, Gate A, Roseburn Street, Edinburgh. Please note no tickets are on sale on match day.About EMC EMC Computer Systems (UK) Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC), the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organisations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com. EMC is a registered trademark of EMC Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. EMC’s sponsorship deal also includes the 2011 August Tests against Ireland (Saturday 6 August) and Italy (Saturday 20 August) both at Murrayfield.