Finn Russell and John Hardie have both failed to be passed fit for Scotland’s Rugby World Cup Pool B game against South Africa on Saturday. Their places go to Duncan Weir and Blair Cowan respectively in a team that shows ten changes from the one that began the win against the United States.
Besides Cowan, Gordon Reid and Richie Vernon will play for the first time in the tournament, while Sam Hidalgo-Clyne could make his World Cup debut if he comes off the bench.
Both Russell and Hardie should be available for the final pool game, against Samoa, also at St James' Park in Newcastle, on Saturday week.
Scotland (v South Africa at St James’ Park, Newcastle, Saturday, 4.45pm): S Hogg; T Seymour, R Vernon, M Scott, T Visser; D Weir, G Laidlaw; G Reid, F Brown, W Nel, R Gray, J Gray, J Strauss, B Cowan, D Denton. Substitutes: R Ford, A Dickinson, G Welsh, T Swinson, R Wilson, S Hidalgo-Clyne, P Horne, S Lamont.
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