Spring tour team news

November 18, 2009 - 7:07AM

Scotland unchanged for Australia

EDINBURGH: - Scotland coach Andy Robinson named an unchanged side to face Australia in this weekend's international here at Murrayfield.

The former England boss has decided not to make any alterations to his starting XV or bench following last Saturday's 23-10 win over Fiji - Robinson's first game in charge of Scotland.

His decision means Chris Cusiter retains both the captaincy and the No.9 shirt ahead of scrum-half rival and fellow "co-captain" Mike Blair.

Both Blair, who remains on the bench, and No.8 Johnnie Beattie missed training Monday with ankle and groin injuries but the pair should be fit for Saturday's match against the Wallabies.

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans is due to name his team on Thursday.

Australia have not lost to Scotland since 1982 - a run of 16 straight wins.

Scotland: Rory Lamont; Sean Lamont, Alex Grove, Graeme Morrison, Simon Danielli; Phil Godman, Chris Cusiter (capt); Johnnie Beattie, John Barclay, Alastair Strokosch; Alastair Kellock, Nathan Hines; Moray Low, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen. Res: Dougie Hall, Kyle Traynor, Jason White, Richie Vernon, Mike Blair, Chris Paterson, Nick de Luca

Shaw and Tait in England squad

London: Simon Shaw and Mathew Tait have both been included in England's match squad for Saturday's Twickenham international against New Zealand.

The pair survived the cut when England manager Martin Johnson released 10 players back to their clubs this morning ahead of tonight's team announcement.

Wasps lock Shaw missed this month's defeat by Australia and last weekend's unconvincing 16-9 win over Argentina with a foot injury.

But he is now widely expected to be in the starting line-up alongside England captain Steve Borthwick when second row great Johnson names his team for the side's third and final Test match this month.

Shaw has returned to the squad in place of Courtney Lawes.

Northampton's rising star made his debut off the bench against Australia but did not feature in the win over Argentina.

This year saw the 36-year-old Shaw star for the British and Irish Lions in South Africa, a brilliant display in the tourists' second Test defeat followed up by a key role in their third Test win over the world champions.

Wales make six changes for Argentina

CARDIFF: Wales coach Warren Gatland has made six changes to the side that narrowly defeated Samoa for this weekend's international against Argentina here at the Millennium Stadium.

Jonathan Davies starts in midfield after centre Tom Shanklin was ruled out with a broken nose.

Jamie Roberts moves across to outside centre while Gatland has recalled four British and Irish Lions in wing Shane Williams, fly-half Stephen Jones, flanker Martyn Williams and hooker Matthew Rees after the quartet were rested from the side that edged past Samoa 17-13.

In a somewhat surprise move New Zealander boss Gatland has opted to start with Gareth Cooper at scrum-half in place of Dwayne Peel,

Cooper started against New Zealand earlier this month, but Peel was among Wales' best players against Samoa.

Davies for Shanklin is the only change from the Wales side beaten 19-12 by the All Blacks on November 7.

Wales: James Hook; Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Gareth Cooper; Ryan Jones (capt), Martyn Williams, Andy Powell; Luke Charteris, Alun-Wyn Jones; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins. Res: Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate, Dwayne Peel, Andrew Bishop, Tom James

Ireland unveil new look side for Fiji

DUBLIN: Ireland coach Declan Kidney has given a chance for some of his squad players to shine after naming a team showing eight changes for Saturday's international here against Fiji.

Following Six Nations champions Ireland's 20-20 draw with Australia last weekend, Kidney has made five switches in the backs and three in the forwards.

Keith Earls, who replaced the injured Luke Fitzgerald against Australia, retains his place on the left wing with the experienced Shane Horgan coming in on the right wing for Tommy Bowe.

Gordon D'Arcy moves into the centre and there is a new half-back partnership with Jonathan Sexton, one of the stars of the Leinster side that won last season's European Cup, earning his first cap at No 10 with Eoin Reddan starting at scrum-half.

Australia-born Tom Court starts the game at loosehead prop and Leo Cullen comes into the side to partner Paul O'Connell in the second row. There is one change to the back row with Denis Leamy replacing David Wallace.

Tomas O'Leary, Paddy Wallace and Donncha O'Callaghan are among the replacements after starting against Australia.

But fly-half Ronan O'Gara misses out completely ahead of Ireland's clash against world champions South Africa on November 28.

Saturday's match will be the first international ever to be played at the Royal Dublin Society showground.

Ireland: Rob Kearney; Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jamie Heaslip, Denis Leamy, Stephen Ferris; Paul O'Connell, Leo Cullen; John Hayes, Jerry Flannery, Tom Court. Res: Sean Cronin, Tony Buckley, Donncha O'Callaghan, Sean O'Brien, Tomas O'Leary, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble.

France ring changes for Samoa game

MARCOUSSIS: France has made 12 changes to their starting line-up for the Test match against Samoa at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The pack was completely changed with the exception of No.8 Louis Picamoles, who had an outstanding match against the Springboks.

Stade Francais prop Sylvan Marconnet was brought in to replace Nicolas Mas and takes over the captaincy from flanker Thierry Dusautoir who drops down to the bench.

There is a first international start for Clermont flanker Alexandre Lapandry alongside Picamoles and Julien Bonnaire in the back row.

Among the backs, Benjamin Fall of Bayonne also gets a first start on the wing with Maxime Medard taking over from Damien Traille at full-back.

Francois Trinh-Duc remains at fly-half but will partner Morgan Parra who replaces Julien Dupuy at scrum-half while the veteran Yannick Jauzion is back at centre alongside David Marty.

France: Maxime Medard, Benjamin Fall, David Marty, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc, Francois Trinh-Duc, Morgan Parra, Louis Picamoles, Julien Bonnaire, Alexandre Lapandry, Pascal Pape, Sebastien Chabal, Sylvain Marconnet (capt), Dimitri Szarzewski, Thomas Domingo. Reserves: Guilhem Guirado, Nicolas Mas, Romain Millo-Chluski, Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Dupuy, Damien Traille, Yann David, Fabien Barcella

AFP