Scotland v South Africa: The only change to either the Scotland or South Africa sides that meet at Murrayfield on Saturday was a forename as Rory Lamont replaced injured big brother Sean in the home XV.
The only change to either the Scotland or South Africa sides that meet at Murrayfield on Saturday was a forename as Rory Lamont replaced injured big brother Sean in the home XV. In both cases it reflected a desire for continuity at the start of a series of matches.
For the world champions, that was wholly understandable following their victory over European champions Wales, however narrow. By contrast, a 32-6 defeat for Scotland gave much greater cause to consider a rethink.
However, the repeated message from within the camp is that they have taken enormous confidence from how they played against New Zealand. Consequently Frank Hadden, their coach, even suggested that introducing other players would be a wasted experience when describing the meeting with the All Blacks as a chance to adjust to Test level.
"Last Saturday was an invaluable opportunity to get used to the pace and intensity of rugby in the Southern Hemisphere," he said. "I think that will stand us in good stead this weekend."
That is a rather different message from before last weekend when all concerned stated their belief that the big opportunity against those All Blacks was not to help prepare for facing the World Cup-holders, but to make history by beating New Zealand. A week, it seems, is as lengthy a time in sport as in politics.
Scotland will, though, list the same XV surnames only if a string of players get over bumps and bruises. Matt Mustchin is on standby with Al Strokosch set to return to the bench if either Nathan Hines (wrist) or Jim Hamilton (ankle) is unfit to take his place in the second row.
Simon Webster is, meanwhile, ready to come in if either Thom Evans, who strained his back last weekend or Rory Lamont, who was unavailable for that match due to a recurring shoulder problem, cannot play. "At this juncture we expect them all to make it," said Hadden.
The coach explained that the need to widen aerial options is a major part of why Jason White holds on to his place ahead of Strokosch, who has impressed with his confrontational approach to Test rugby since being introduced to it this year. "Jason is a long way ahead of Alasdair at this stage in the lineouts," he said.
Perhaps more pertinently, White may have been relatively quiet against the All Blacks but that was essentially because they played away from the areas where he can be at his dynamic and devastating best. The Springboks are much less likely to shy away from those battle zones.
There was scope to include both White and Strokosch, by fielding the former at lock, but with Mustchin covering Hines and Hamilton, it seems the management are not giving that much consideration.
A greater issue would seem to be the need to play in the right parts of the pitch, in which case Phil Godman's lack of kicking power could be even more of a consideration than it was last week.
Yet Hadden claimed his team had achieved its territorial objectives last week. Just how the nine line breaks of which they boast led to zero tries sits alongside that is hard to fathom. Presumably had they been further down the pitch when breaking clear they would have been that much nearer the goal-line. Or perhaps that is too simplistic.
In any case, the major issue is the need to cross the try-line more often and it is a staggering statistic that the returning Lamont was the last Scot to score a try in a Test match at Murrayfield. That was 13 months ago in the World Cup win over lowly Romania.
"There's no doubt about it, that is not a good stat to have," the player himself admitted. "It's something I wasn't aware of and it's not great.
"It's particularly frustrating when we're getting into the positions on a regular basis like we did on Saturday and we didn't take the opportunities. Final passes, little bounces of the ball, maybe guys not anticipating the line break. These tiny little tweaks can make a massive difference.
"I don't know if, because we maybe haven't been doing it scoring tries so much that we kind of snatch at the opportunity and are taking our eye off the ball just that split-second too early. It is such a fine line.
"You see it with strikers who will go months without scoring a try, then once they get one they can't stop scoring. I think once it clicks, we'll start seeing tires on a regular basis."
As for the unusual personal situation - as experienced by the legendary Brown brothers and, very nearly, by twins Fin and Jim Calder - of replacing his brother in the starting XV, Rory had only sympathy.
"I'm disappointed for him," he said. "It's not quite how he envisaged his comeback for Scotland, only playing 45 minutes and missing the rest of the autumn series. However that's rugby and it's not too serious. He'll be back for Northampton in three or four weeks."
