Scotland change ten for Springboks clash

Head Coach Vern Cotter has today named the Scotland team to face South Africa in this Saturday’s World Cup match in Newcastle.
Scotland lead the group on ten points following back-to-back bonus-point wins over Japan and USA, while the 2007 champions are just three adrift in second, having picked up maximum points against Samoa and two bonus-points in their narrow loss to Japan.
Cotter has made ten changes to his starting line-up with Blair Cowan, Gordon Reid and Richie Vernon all set for their first start of the campaign.
This is a big U-turn for London Irish back row Cowan who only joined the squad as an injury replacement this week after being controversially left out of their initial 31-man squad last month.
He takes over from John Hardie at openside while Reid and Vernon come in for Ryan Grant and Mark Bennett at loosehead and outside centre.
Three further changes have been made to the starting back division. Captain Greig Laidlaw returns at scrum-half where he’ll partner fellow half-back Duncan Weir; a replacement for Finn Russell who continues to recover from an ankle injury.
Wing Tommy Seymour starts in place of Sean Maitland where he’ll join Tim Visser and Stuart Hogg in the back-three – the latter the only player to start all three matches for Scotland thus far.
In the forwards hooker Fraser Brown gets the start that evaded him against USA, when a back-row injury forced a late rotation.
He is joined by try-scoring prop Willem Nel – who switches roles with Jon Welsh once again – while the rested Jonny Gray returns to start alongside brother Richie, in place of the injured Grant Gilchrist (groin).
The changes are completed by Josh Strauss, who moves to the blindside flank at the expense of Alasdair Strokosch, to accommodate number 8 David Denton.
Cotter said: “This is a massive test for our team. Playing South Africa is one of the biggest challenges you can face as a rugby player.
“We’ll need to be very good on the day.”
Scotland: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Tim Visser (Harlequins), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Capt., Gloucester), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Castres), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors).
South Africa: Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez (Capt.); Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis; Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager; Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein.