Cusiter misses out as Danielli gets recall

Former British & Irish Lions scrum half Chris Cusiter has returned home from Argentina and will miss the second Test against the Pumas in Mar del Plata on Saturday. [more]

Cusiter misses out as Danielli gets recall

Former British & Irish Lions scrum half Chris Cusiter has returned home from Argentina and will miss the second Test against the Pumas in Mar del Plata on Saturday.

It means that his Glasgow Warriors clubmate Ali Kellock will continue to lead the Scottish side as they go in search of an historic test series triumph on Argentinean soil following their stunning 24-16 triumph last weekend in Tucuman.

Cusiter picked up a knee injury during the latter round of the Magners League season and has not recovered in time to return to action.

Scottish coach Andy Robinson has made three changes in all, two of them positional, for the second Test. Ulsterwing Simon Danielli comes into the side off the bench to play on the left wing, while Max Evans moves into the centre to accommodate him.

Nick de Luca drops to the bench and Scarlets flyer Sean Lamont crosses over to the right wing,

“It's a new game on Saturday. What happened last weekend is in the past and the scoreboard will start at 0-0 – and the Pumas await," said Robinson ahead of the second Test.

"Having looked at the way we wan to attack Argentina in the outside channels tI've brought in Simon Danielli and moved Max Evans to his normal centre spot which he plays for Glasgow. Simon runs hard, is pretty direct and I've been impressed by his form for Ulster in the Magners League, where he has been a regular try scorer.

"Both Max and Nick De Luca did well in the first Test. I felt Max made a number of line-breaks and looked pretty dangerous throughout and it was for him to start because of that.

"Selection was a tough call for a number of players and, as management, we've expressed our admiration for the commitment of the entire squad to securing a win on Saturday."

Edinburgh hooker Ross Ford will equal back-row forward John Jeffrey as the most-capped player from the Kelso club when he wins his 40th cap.

Scotland
15 Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais)
14 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)
13 Max Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
12 Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster)
10 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Rory Lawson (Gloucester)

1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
4 Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh)
5 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) captain
6 Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
8 Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow Warriors)
7 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)

Replacements
16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester)
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester)
18 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh)
19 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester)
20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh)
21 Phil Godman (Edinburgh)
22 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France).

Previous story To go or not to go
Next story Shaw drops to England bench