Scotland make three changes for England clash

Scotland have made three changes to the starting XV from their last match against Wales for their Six Nations Championship meeting with England at Murrayfield. [more]

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Scotland have made three changes to the starting XV from their last match against Wales for their Six Nations Championship meeting with England at Murrayfield.

Hooker Dougie Hall wins only his third start in the eighth match of Frank Hadden’s tenure as national coach, with Scott Lawson omitted from the 22.

In the second row Scott MacLeod is promoted from the bench on Saturday to replace the suspended Scott Murray. It will be MacLeod’s second start for Scotland.

Perpignan lock Nathan Hines, who last played for Scotland in the Calcutta Cup last year, is introduced among the substitutes.

In the backs, centre Marcus Di Rollo has recovered from the hamstring injury which kept him out of the game at the Millennium Stadium – and he replaces Ben MacDougall.

Hadden admitted the hooker’s position had again left him with a dilemma before he eventually settled for Hall over Ross Ford.

He said: "Once again we have reflected long and hard over our choice at hooker.

"Ross Ford definitely announced himself on the stage last week and his is a star on the rise.

"But again we have gone for horses for courses at hooker with Dougie coming back."

The Scotland coach resisted the temptation to bring Hines into the team, after he returned to the Scotland squad on Friday almost a year after quitting international rugby.

The Australia-born lock last played for Scotland in a 43-22 loss to England in March 2005 and was expected to be a straight replacement for Murray, who was sent off against Wales.

But Hadden said: "I have said all along that I was pleased with the competition in the second row.

"I did not consider bringing Nathan Hines straight into the starting line-up.

"Our team just now is a hard one to force your way into. There is no doubt, however, that Nathan can play a big role for us.’

Hadden welcomed the return of Edinburgh’s Di Rollo who recovered from his hamstring injury.

He said: "Marcus has been running well in training and it is good to have him back."

Scotland team to play England in the Six Nations Championship on Saturday, February 25 at Murrayfield (kick-off 5.30pm)

H Southwell (Edinburgh), C Paterson (Edinburgh), M Di Rollo (Edinburgh), A Henderson (Glasgow), S Lamont (Northampton), D Parks (Glasgow), M Blair (Edinburgh); G Kerr (Leeds), D Hall (Edinburgh), B Douglas (Border Reivers), S MacLeod (Border Reivers), A Kellock (Edinburgh), J White (Sale,capt), A Hogg (Edinburgh), S Taylor (Edinburgh).
Replacements: R Ford (Border Reivers), C Smith (Edinburgh), N Hines (Perpignan), J Petrie (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Border Reivers), G Ross (Leeds), S Webster (Edinburgh).

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