Laidlaw defends Cotter’s selection
SCOTLAND skipper Greig Laidlaw has slammed suggestions Vern Cotter has selected a secondstring side to take on South Africa tomorrow. The Scots head coach has made 10 changes from the team which started the victory over USA for the Pool B encounter at St James’ Park in Newcastle. However, Laidlaw insisted they were still focused on defeating the Springboks — and that Cotter was not resting key men, such as centre Mark Bennett, with one eye on the Samoa match a week tomorrow. ‘I think that’s a bit disrespectful to the players who have been selected to suggest that,’ said the influential scrum-half. ‘We knew coming into the World Cup that it would be a 31-man effort and you need your squad. ‘Boys are champing at the bit, especially those who haven’t played before in this World Cup to take on South Africa. ‘Fraser (Brown) came on against America and made a big impact. He’s a strong and physical player, as well. ‘Richie Vernon is a big, physical centre. Just wait and see our
performance rather than pre-judge.’ The likes of Bennett and winger Sean Maitland are both missing from the squad for a match that if Scotland win, it would take them into the World Cup knockout stages with a game to spare. The front-row battle against the physical South Africans will be vital to the outcome, which is why it is surprising that the influential duo of Ross Ford and Alasdair Dickinson have been left amongst the replacements. As revealed by Sportsmail, stand-off Finn Russell is unavailable through injury, with flanker John Hardie not risked after he picked up a head knock against Japan. Prop Gordon Reid, Vernon, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Blair Cowan — who was called up in place of the injured Grant Gilchrist — are all in the World Cup match-day squad for the first time. Laidlaw said losing the influential Russell, who is now battling to shake off an ankle injury in time for the match against Samoa, would change nothing and he had complete faith in the ability of his chosen replacement Duncan Weir. ‘I don’t think it changes anything having Finn in the side,’ he claimed. ‘Finn is a wonderful player but, then again, although he picked up a knock he’s played a lot of rugby as well so it is a good opportunity for Duncan to come in. ‘It’s important for me to give Duncan a few early touches and settle him into his role. He’s played enough rugby now to know what it’s all about and he’ll be relishing this opportunity to start against South Africa. ‘We are desperate to qualify for the quarter-finals and now having put together two decent performances we have put ourselves in a good position. ‘We are aware of the great chance we have to qualify but we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. ‘We have a huge game to play at the weekend and, if we go out there and do our stuff, we are in with a shout of qualifying.’