DUNCAN Taylor, the Scotland centre, has signed a new long-term contract with Saracens, the club he has been with since 2012. The 26-year-old, who has 12 caps, will start alongside Matt Scott for his country against England at Murrayfield a week today unless Mark Bennett is passed fit on Monday.
“I don’t think he gets the credit for the wonderful work he can do with and without the ball,” Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, said of Taylor. “His work rate and contribution to this team is enormous.”
Taylor, who was ruled out of Scotland’s Rugby World Cup squad because of injury, has been named on the right wing for Saracens’ league match against Bath today. Bennett, who has a shoulder injury, has been training with the national squad but has yet to take full contact.
As Vern Cotter’s squad stands, Taylor and Scott will be the only two centres available to him for the Calcutta Cup match. Sean Lamont could provide back-up from the wing or the bench, and Finn Russell, who is expected to start in his usual position of fly-half, has recent experience of playing an inside centre.
Greig Laidlaw, the Scotland captain and scrum-half, is on the bench for Gloucester’s home game against Leicester. Sean Maitland, primarily a winger for Scotland, has been named at full-back by London Irish for their game against Sale, but flanker Blair Cowan is not in the exiles’ squad.
The first-choice national front row of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel have all been rested by Edinburgh for their match against Cardiff. Dickinson came back from injury in last week’s defeat by Grenoble and is confident he is match-fit for the Calcutta Cup.
“I could have played the week before, but it was good to have the opportunity to give it an extra week,” he said yesterday. “There was no problem whatsoever. I’m fit and raring to go.”
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