Scotland Ready To Go ‘Toe To Toe’ Before Murrayfield Full House

Scotland have made five changes from the team that completed a 100% winning record in Australasia during the summer for their first match of the season, Sunday’s EMC Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield.The match is a near 67,144 sell-out with only a few single tickets left around the stadium, while the second EMC Test of the month at Murrayfield – against South Africa on Saturday 17 November – has already sold almost 50,000 tickets. It will be the first occasion that a Test at this time of year has attracted a capacity attendance since the stadium was redeveloped in 1994.Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “Thanks to the fans for their tremendous backing.  For me, there’s nothing to compare to a full house on international match day and the chance for Scotland to challenge the best team in the world increases the sense of occasion ahead of Sunday’s EMC Test.”The changes made from the team that rounded off the Southern Hemisphere tour with a last-gasp win against Samoa – following on earlier successes against Australia and Fiji – see Nick De Luca return for the injured Joe Ansbro at centre; Mike Blair, who had a superb game off the bench in Apia, start instead of the recuperating Chris Cusiter; and Geoff Cross, Jim Hamilton and captain Kelly Brown appear in the pack instead of Euan Murray, Alastair Kellock and Richie Vernon. Brown, who will captain Scotland for the first time, will be winning his 50th cap, while there are first international starts at Murrayfield for Edinburgh Rugby backs Matt Scott and Tim Visser and Glasgow Warriors prop Ryan Grant.Lock Richie Gray has made good progress from his ankle injury sustained on club duty last month and is listed, subject to a fitness test later this week.On the bench, Glasgow Warriors’ uncapped 23-year-old scrum-half Henry Pyrgos, is rewarded for his fine form in recent weeks with a first-ever involvement in a Scotland match-day squad.Robinson added: “For our first game of the season we will really need to start well and keep the game simple.”New Zealand are the world champions and they perform the basic skills, well, under the highest pressure.”We need to step up from the summer tour and be ready to go toe to toe in a physical contest, just as Australia did most recently against New Zealand in Brisbane.”Congratulations to Kelly Brown who will captain Scotland for the first time and will join distinguished company in winning his 50th cap.” Brown is the 32nd Scot to reach the milestone of 50 caps.Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play New Zealand in the EMC Test at Murrayfield Sunday 11 November, kick-off 2.30pm15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps, 1 try, 5 points14 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 68 caps, 8 tries, 40 points13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 35 caps, 1 try, 5 points12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps, 2 tries, 10 points10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) 10 caps, 2 tries, 8 conversions, 15 penalties, 71 points9 Mike Blair (Brive) 83 caps, 7 tries, 35 points1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 61 caps, 2 tries, 10 points3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby) 14 caps4 Richie Gray (Sale Sharks) 24 caps, 1 try, 5 points5 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 39 caps, 1 try, 5 points6 Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan) 28 caps, 1 try, 5 points7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) 19 caps8 Kelly Brown (Saracens) CAPTAIN 49 caps, 4 tries, 20 pointsSubstitutes16 Scott Lawson (London Irish) 34 caps, 2 tries, 10 points17 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby) 64 caps18 Kyle Traynor (Bristol Rugby) 3 caps19 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 44 caps, 1 try, 5 points20 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) 6 caps21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped22 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 13 caps, 2 conversions, 2 penalties, 2 drop-goals, 16 points23 Max Evans (Castres) 30 caps, 3 tries, 15 pointsReferee: Jerome Garces (France).  Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzere (France) and Simon McDowell (Ireland). TMO: Graham Hughes (England).