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Rugby Union

Captain White returns for Scotland

07/08/2007

Calcutta Cup-winning captain Jason White will return from nearly a year out injured when Scotland entertain Ireland at Murrayfield in a World Cup warm-up match this weekend.

The Sale Sharks man, who has been out since November 2006 following surgery on a knee injury, is set to start at flanker for the Scots who are sure to be boosted by his return.

Star kicker Chris Paterson, who has been used as a winger or a full-back for his country under head coach Frank Hadden, will start at fly-half in a switch which has long-been mooted as a the answer to Scotland's problems in finding a playmaker.

The new Gloucester signing moved south of the border earlier this summer when he left troubled Edinburgh to play in the Guinness Premiership next season and will win his 75th cap – only the fourth Scottish player ever to do so.

The line-up also includes both Lamont brothers, Rory and Sean, who start at full-back and on the wing respectively and Mike Blair is favoured over Chris Cusiter at scrum-half in what are being seen as key selection decision ahead of the showpiece tournament.

But Hadden played down the importance of the starting XV, saying: "Inevitably much will be read into this selection given the proximity to the Rugby World Cup and the trimming of our squad next Tuesday to the final 30 who will be on duty for the tournament.

"But what's uppermost in my mind, as ever, is picking a team to win an international match as we look to generate momentum going into the World Cup."
And on the issue surrounding Paterson's position in the backs, Hadden was forthright.

"At the beginning of the last Six Nations campaign we said Chris Paterson was not ready to start at stand-off," he said.

"At the end of the Six Nations we said he was probably ready to start, so let's have a look at him there."

Full Scotland XV to play Ireland:

15 Rory Lamont (Sale Sharks)
14 Sean Lamont (Northampton Saints)
13 Rob Dewey (Ulster)
12 Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors)
11 Simon Webster (Edinburgh)
10 Chris Paterson (Gloucester)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh);
1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh)
2 Ross Ford (Glasgow Warriors)
3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints)
4 Nathan Hines (Perpignan)
5 Jim Hamilton (Leicester Tigers)
6 Jason White (Sale Sharks; captain)
8 Simon Taylor (Stade Francais)
7 Allister Hogg (Edinburgh)

Replacements
16 Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Craig Smith (Edinburgh)
18 Scott MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets)
19 Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Chris Cusiter (Perpignan)
21 Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh)

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