Sean Maitland one of four Scotland changes for Australia Test
Friday 24 November 2017 11:30, UK
Sean Maitland is one of four changes made by Scotland to play Australia on Saturday following their narrow loss to New Zealand.
Winger Maitland was only called up to the squad on Monday having recovered from an ankle injury and he replaces Lee Jones, who fails to make the 23-man matchday squad.
Maitland is joined in the starting XV by prop Simon Berghan, lock Grant Gilchrist and No 8 Ryan Wilson with Zander Fagerson, Ben Toolis and Cornell du Preez dropping to the bench.
Gregor Townsend's selection sees Berghan make his first Scotland start while Glasgow Warriors' Wilson returns after missing the All Blacks defeat with a shoulder injury.
Glasgow hooker Fraser Brown, who joined Maitland in the squad two days ago, is named on the bench.
It was announced on Friday that inside-centre Alex Dunbar has failed the return-to-play protocol for concussion and has been replaced by Pete Horne with uncapped Edinburgh centre Phil Burleigh on the bench.
The late enforced change now makes it five changes from the New Zealand defeat.
Townsend said: "This is the third and final game of our autumn series and the players are looking forward to ending it on a high.
"Last weekend's game was a proper Test match - intense, competitive and full of drama. Unfortunately, we just fell short of our goal, and were disappointed with the loss, but take confidence going into the game against Australia.
"Scotland's recent history against Australia has been one of close-fought matches and, after a couple of narrow defeats, we managed to record a win last June out in Sydney.
"Our players have been training hard and will draw on all they've learned in the games against Samoa and New Zealand to rise to the challenge of this final Autumn Test."
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Sean Maitland; 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price, 1 Darryl Marfo, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 Simon Berghan, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 John Barclay (c), 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Ryan Wilson
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Ben Toolis, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Phil Burleigh, 23 Byron McGuigan