McGeechan keeps faith

Scotland coach Ian McGeechan has kept faith with the same team which were narrowly edged out by South Africa for the second Test in Johannesburg this Saturday.

The tourists were denied a first-ever win on South African soil last weekend when the home side rallied from 13 points down going into the final quarter to win 29-25 in Durban.

But McGeechan has decided to stick with an identical starting line-up, only tinkering with the substitutes’ bench, replacing Bordeaux centre James McLaren with Edinburgh’s Brendan Laney.

New Zealand-born Laney was a late inclusion into the Scotland squad that lost to the Barbarians before the South Africa tour.

He replaced Orrell centre Andy Craig, who has since recovered from a hip injury and will play against the Springboks.

Scotland team to play South Africa at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Saturday, June 14, kick-off 3pm local time.

G Metcalfe (Glasgow Rugby); C Paterson (Edinburgh), A Craig (Orrell), A Henderson (Glasgow), K Logan (Wasps); G Townsend (The Borders), B Redpath (Sale, capt); G Kerr (Leeds), G Bulloch (Glasgow), B Douglas (The Borders), S Murray (Edinburgh), N Hines (Edinburgh), J White (Sale), S Taylor (Edinburgh), A Mower (Newcastle).

Substitutes: R Russell (Saracens), G McIlwham (Bordeaux-Begles), Jon Petrie (Glasgow), M Leslie (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh), G Ross (Leeds), B Laney (Edinburgh).