FINN Russell and John Hardie have both been recalled to the Scotland team to play Samoa on Saturday after missing out against South Africa through injury. Head coach Vern Cotter has made seven changes from the team that lost to South Africa - four in the pack and three among the backs.
Hardie, who also sat out the USA game after taking a head knock against Japan, comes into a reshaped back row with Ryan Wilson. David Denton retains his place at No 8, while Josh Strauss drops down to the bench and Blair Cowan misses out. The other two changes to the pack see Alasdair Dickinson and Ross Ford return to the front row.
In the backs, Russell takes over at stand-off from Duncan Weir, Mark Bennett replaces Richie Vernon at centre, and Sean Maitland is back on the wing in place of Tim Visser. Weir drops out of the squad, with Peter Horne retaining his place on the bench as cover at stand-off and centre.
Sean Lamont will win his 100th cap if he comes off the bench.
Scotland (v Samoa at St James’ Park, Saturday, 2..300pm): S Hogg; T Seymour, M Bennett, M Scott, S Maitland; F Russell, G Laidlaw; A Dickinson, R Ford, W Nel, R Gray, J Gray, R Wilson, J Hardie, D Denton. Substitutes: F Brown, G Reid, J Welsh, T Swinson, J Strauss, H Pyrgos, P Horne, S Lamont.
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