KEY BATTLES

PETER HORNE TEVITA KURIDRANI

The talk around the Scotland camp was that, even if Matt Scott wasn’t injured, the more artistic — but less physically imposing — Horne would have been picked. A sign of Vern Cotter’s intent to stretch the game? Whatever he does with ball in hand, Horne — who is giving away almost two stone in weight — is likely to have his work cut out when Kuridrani runs at him in midfield. The one surprise inclusion in Cotter’s starting XV, Horne’s performance may just hold the key to the game.

WP NEL SCOTT SIO

Scotland’s loosehead prop will have to apply real pressure to a young man actually named in honour of the Scotland team which beat his dad’s Samoan side at the ’91 World Cup. Unless Nel sets the tone early, expect a rejuvenated Australian scrum — of which the relatively inexperienced Sio, just 24 and playing in only his 15th Test, is perhaps the one vulnerable component — to start milking their dominance for easy penalties all over the park. With Al Dickinson at tighthead and Fraser Brown deputising for Ross Ford, the Scotland front row must achieve a degree of parity or the match will be lost.

JOHN HARDIE MICHAEL HOOPER

Hooper without Pocock. It’s like Starsky without Hutch. But don’t expect the Wallabies openside to just roll over and have his tummy tickled because his partner-in-crime is out injured. He will be as venomous as ever at the breakdown. Although it’s going to take a team effort from Scotland to stop Hooper from burgling every loose ball, many will look to hard-as-nails Hardie — backed up by specialist scavenger Blair Cowan — to scramble, scamper, scurry and scrap for possession.