Scots primed for visit to Pittodrie

SCOTLAND v CANADA: SCOTLAND CAPTAIN Mike Blair has warned the Pittodrie crowd not to expect a try-fest in today's final autumn international against Canada (Kick-off: 2.45; live on BBC Interactive).

The Scottish Rugby Union have brought the national team to the home of Aberdeen for only the second time and will be eager for them to put on a show in front of what they hope will be a capacity crowd.

Scrumhalf Blair is planning to do that but is not expecting the tourists to concede a cricket score. "Hopefully, the Pittodrie crowd will get behind us from the start," said Blair, who also played at the stadium in Scotland's victory over the Barbarians three years ago.

"We're by no means thinking about scoring lots and lots of tries, we've got a lot of respect for the Canadian team and how much they've improved."

Not taking chances is what has cost Scotland dear in the November Tests, with opportunities to score both tries and penalties squandered in defeats to New Zealand and South Africa. But their bid to rectify that may be hampered by a pitch which is narrower than Murrayfield. "I think it's 62 metres wide, so that's where the physical element of the game's going to come in," said Blair.

SCOTLAND: R Lamont; S Webster, B Cairns, N De Luca, N Walker; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, E Murray, N Hines, J Hamilton, A Strokosch, J Barclay, S Taylor. Replacements: D Hall, A Dickinson, M Mustchin, S Gray, R Lawson, D Parks, M Evans.

CANADA: J Pritchard; S Duke, C Hearn, R Smith, J Mensah-Coker; M Evans, E Fairhurst (capt); K Tkachuk, M Pletch, S Franklin, T Hotson, J Jackson, J Sinclair, A Kleeberger, A Carpenter. Replacements: F Walsh, M Burak, S Michael Stephen, M Williams, N Hirayama, B Keys, A N Other.

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times