Ian McGeechan, the Scotland coach, has given Gregor Townsend the chance to cement his place at outhalf in the side ahead of next year's Six Nations Championship. The talismanic number 10 is one of four changes in the team to face Fiji tomorrow afternoon from that which surprised the Springboks last weekend. Iain Morrison reports
Scotland v Fiji at Murrayfield, Sunday, 3.0
Townsend comes back into the team at the expense of Leeds' Gordon Ross to win his 69th cap, while Worcester's Ben Hinshelwood follows his father's footsteps into the Scottish XV, winning his first start at full back with Stuart Moffat dropping to the bench.
In the forwards, Scott Murray will be rested and his place at lock is filled by Jason White, while the injury-prone Martin Leslie is on the bench to allow Glasgow's Jon Petrie a rare start at number eight. Simon Taylor takes up Leslie's blindside duties.
With Fiji conceding 122 points to Wales and Ireland in the previous two weekends the result seems in little doubt, but Scotland have a habit of slipping on the sort of banana skin that a side like Fiji currently provides.
When the two teams last met in 1998, Fiji won 51-26 in Suva and the then coach Jim Telfer recently admitted that "we underestimated Fiji that day".
Among the Scots looking for revenge are the hooker Gordon Bulloch, the second-row Stuart Grimes and both half-backs, the skipper Bryan Redpath and Townsend, who endured one of his least effective games for Scotland that day.
Now fighting for his international jersey, Scotland's most capped player will want to put in a faultless performance.
SCOTLAND: Hinshelwood; Walker, Craig, Laney, Paterson; Townsend, Redpath (capt); Smith, Bulloch, Douglas, White, Grimes, Taylor, Pountney, Petrie. Replacements: Scott, Hilton, Hines, M Leslie, Beveridge, Ross, Moffat.
FIJI: Nariva; Lasagavibau, Ruivadra, Bai, Ligairi; Narruhn, Rauluni; Nyholt, Smith (capt), Cavubati, Naevo, Raiwalui, Koyamaibole, Naivaluwaqa, Mocelutu. Replacements: Biu, Rasila or Gadolo, Katalau, Leawere, Serevi, Satala, Mow.
Referee: M Lawrence (South Africa).
