Selectons For Saturday

THIS IS a good day to be a Rugby Union writer in what's left of Scotland's mainstream media. Before 10am both the Scotland and Lions squads for Saturday's games had been issued, giving them plenty of time to cut and paste reasonably-informed pieces on the selections – no rush to beat tomorrow's print or broadcasting deadline.

The Scottish squad first and not merely because their game will be the first to be played. The squad Gregor Townsend has named:

is pretty-much what we might have expected, following last week-end's tour opener against the Mãori. Starting Saracen's Fergus Burke, thus making him officially the latest “Kilted Kiwi” is a bold move, but perhaps slightly forced by that bang Adam Hastings took last weekend. Pairing him with Jamie Dobie is also a bold move I feel.

Up front, the big guns are back: Rory Sutherland, Gilcho, Jamie Ritchie, Skipper rory Darge and Matt Fagerson, while I feel the 10/12 Kiwi-raised pairing of Burke and Tom Jordan will cause the Fijians a problem or two.

This squad faces a very-tough challenge in Suva, a fact which had passed several feet over the head of one or two commenters on Scottish Rugby Forum on Facebook, complaining about us: “taking an easy Summer Tour to boost Toony's wins average”. Half our starting XV either with the Lions or injured and he's calling this an easy tour – which planet are they on?

IN AUSTRALIA, Andy Farrell has named his squad for the final pre-Test game, against the ANZAC Invitational XV, the squad is:

This game is the last chance for the fringe players to force their way into the Test-match 23. I reckon Farrell has pretty-much chosen his team to face the Aussies, and he only has to decide bench places and perhaps the back-row trio.

I would like to think “Shuggiepulotu” still has a shout for the Test team, and on Saturday, there's going to be a lot of pressure on Fin Smith to slot in between Ben White and the three Scots outside him. I feel Scott Cummings is unfortunate to only be on the bench, but, with an all-Irish boilerhouse pairing ahead of him, Farrell is clearly going with who he knows best.

I found the name order for the backs on the bench interesting, with Owen Farrell seemingly covering the outside backs positions – might Daddy be thinking of having him as 15 cover, since Hugo Keenan has still to show his true form and there is that doubt over big Blair?