Battered Scotland name three new caps for South Africa game

Scotland named three new caps in their starting team for Saturday’s Test against South Africa in Nelspruit.

Coach Scott Johnson has made seven changes to the side that lost 27-17 to Samoa in Durban and the new caps are the Glasgow trio of fullback Peter Murchie, winger Tommy Seymour and lock Tim Swinson.

Murchie replaced Greig Tonks, Seymour is in for Tim Visser and Swinson has been named ahead of Grant Gilchrist.

Outhalf Ruaridh Jackson take the place of Tom Heathcote and Scott Lawson comes in at hooker for the injured Pat MacArthur. Ryan Wilson replaces injured openside flanker Kelly Brown and lock Jim Hamilton comes in for Alastair Kellock.

The Scots have faced a difficult week with a number of players injured following heir bruising encounter with Samoa.

Greig Laidlaw takes over the captaincy from Brown, the 113th man to lead Scotland.

“I’m hard pressed to remember so many injuries from the one Test match but it’s a fact and we just have to get on with it,” Johnson told the Scotland Rugby Union website.

“I’d said from before we left Scotland that we wanted to find out about players through this tour and, perhaps, because of circumstances, some of that is being accelerated.

“But there’s no doubt for me that our three new caps, for example, have had strong seasons for Glasgow and have worked really diligently on the training fields out here to earn their chance.”

SCOTLAND (v South Africa): P Murchie; T Seymour, A Dunbar, M Scott, S Lamont; R Jackson, G Laidlaw; A Dickinson, S Lawson, E Murray; T Swinson, J Hamilton; A Strokosch, R Wilson, J Beattie. Replacements: S Lawrie, J Welsh, M Low, A Kellock, D Denton, H Pyrgos, P Horne, D Taylor.