Mather to line out for Scots

Glasgow skipper Cameron Mather has won a starting place in Scotland’s team for Saturday’s Pool B World Cup clash with France in Sydney.

Mather only arrived in the country five days ago as a replacement for Andrew Mower, the Newcastle Falcons openside flanker, who was invalided out of the tournament through serious damage to his left knee.

Mather is one of five changes in personnel – there is one further positional switch – in the Scotland team from the side that defeated the USA 39-15 in Brisbane on Monday.

Kenny Logan’s experience wins him a wing berth ahead of Monday’s two try hero, Simon Danielli.

Captain Bryan Redpath returns at scrum-half, Scott Murray resumes his long-standing second-row partnership with Stuart Grimes and Jason White’s power is restored to the back-row.

Chris Paterson switches from left wing to right.

Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said he was confident Mather would slot effectively into the back-row.

“He has vast experience and the reason why he is here is that he can cover all three positions in the

back-row.”

Scotland (v France): G Metcalfe (Glasgow); C Paterson (Edinburgh), A Craig (Orrell), A Henderson (Glasgow), K Logan (Wasps); G Townsend (Borders), B Redpath (Sale, capt); T Smith (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow), G Kerr (Leeds), S Murray (Edinburgh), S Grimes (Newcastle), J White (Sale), S Taylor (Edinburgh), C Mather (Glasgow).

Replacements: R Russell (Saracens), B Douglas (Borders), N Hines (Edinburgh), R Beattie (Gwent Dragons), M Blair (Edinburgh), J McLaren (Aviron Bayonnais), S Danielli (Bath).