Lamont to make Scotland debut
Glasgow winger Sean Lamont will make his Scotland Test debut against Samoa in Wellington on Friday.
The 23-year-old, who scored his first senior Scotland try in last weekend’s defeat to Queensland, was preferred on the wing to Bath’s Simon Danielli in a side that includes six changes from Scotland’s last international test, a 37-16 defeat to Ireland in March.
In the backs, Leeds’ Gordon Ross has been reinstated at fly-half and Ben Hinshelwood will start in the centres in place of Tom Philip, who has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will be the fourth player to head home from the tour.
Hinshelwood had been set to feature among the replacements in today’s game against NSW Country but was pulled out of the squad late last night.
Up front, Simon Taylor’s injury means 21-year-old Allister Hogg switches to number eight with Donnie MacFadyen winning his third cap at openside flanker.
Prop Tom Smith returns from injury to the front row.
Uncapped winger Hugo Southwell has been included among the replacements along with scrum-half Mike Blair, who has been nursing a shoulder injury since the Queensland game, and fly-half Daniel Parks.
Lamont made such an impact in his first season at Glasgow, following his summer move from Rotherham, that he was named player of the year at Hughenden.
Scotland team to play Samoa in Wellington on Friday: C Paterson, S Lamont, B Hinshelwood, A Henderson, S Webster, G Ross, C Cusiter, T Smith, G Bulloch, B Douglas, S Grimes, S Murray (captain), J White, D MacFadyen, A Hogg.
Replacements: S Scott, C Smith, I Fullarton, J Petrie, M Blair, D Parks, H Southwell.
