Autumn Internationals: Scotland face South Africa at Murrayfield

Bakkies Botha returns for his first Test outing since the 2011

Scott Johnson: Changes for Scotland

Scotland coach Scott Johnson has made a number of changes to his side for Sunday’s Viagogo Autumn Test against South Africa.

Greig Laidlaw has been handed the captain’s armband in place of Kelly Brown, who drops out of the 23-man party for Murrayfield.

Brown’s role at flanker is taken by John Barclay while Duncan Taylor replaces the injured Matt Scott with props Alasdair Dickinson and Moray Low coming into the pack alongside Jim Hamilton.

British and Irish Lion Richie Gray returns to the second row after coming off the bench in Saturday’s 42-17 victory over Japan, and he could figure in the line-up alongside his younger brother Jonny, a fellow-lock forward, who has been named among the replacements.

As in the past, Euan Murray’s religious beliefs have ruled him out of Sunday’s match while Ryan Grant, who suffered a head injury against Japan last weekend, has to settle for a place on the bench.

Springboks

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer has made five changes to his starting XV to face Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Lock Bakkies Botha returns for his first Test outing since the 2011 World Cup and there are also places for prop Gurthro Steenkamp, hooker Adriaan Strauss and full-back Willie Le Roux, while Pat Lambie switches to fly-half.

Botha has been in the wilderness since signing a lucrative contract to move to France, where he won the Heineken Cup with Toulon last season.

Flanker Willem Alberts and utility back Morne Steyn will also take part after being passed fit – Alberts is in Meyer’s starting XV with Steyn on the bench.

There will also be a landmark cap for winger JP Pietersen who is set to make his 50th Test appearance, becoming the fifth Sprinbgok player to reach that mark this season.

Scotland team: Maitland; Seymour, De Luca, Taylor, Lamont; Jackson, Laidlaw (capt); Denton, Barclay, Strokosch; Hamilton, Gray; Low, Ford, Dickinson.

Replacements: Lawson, Grant, Cross, Gray, Beattie, Cusiter, Weir, Evans

South Africa: Le Roux, Pietersen, Fourie, de Villiers (capt), Habana, Lambie, Du Preez; Steenkamp, Strauss, Malherbe, Botha, van der Merwe, Louw, Alberts, Vermeulen.

Replacements: du Plessis, Mtawarira, Oosthuizen, Etzebeth, Coetzee, Pienaar, Steyn, Engelbrecht.

Article source: http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/23122.php

Autumn Internationals: Scotland face South Africa at Murrayfield