Scotland captain Kelly Brown has been axed from the matchday squad for the Calcutta Cup match against England on Saturday as former Howe of Fife flanker Chris Fusaro will make his international debut.
Brown, skipper since the start of last year’s RBS 6 Nations, drops out of the squad along with British Lion Richie Gray, as Scott Johnson makes three changes to the side that lost 28-6 against Ireland, but Fusaro’s inclusion is the only change to the pack that so underperformed in Dublin.
Matt Scott returns in the centre for his first start in any rugby since the first Autumn Test against Japan in the first week of November, while Tommy Seymour, who played in all three autumn tests, replaces the injured Sean Maitland on the wing. Scrum-half Greig Laidlaw is captain.
On the bench, Gray is omitted and his brother Jonny, who captained Scotland A to a draw with England Saxons last Friday, takes the Lion’s place on the bench.
Fusaro (24) is a product of the Howe club and Bell Baxter High School in Cupar, a member of the all-conquering team that won both Scottish Schools and Youth Cups in 2007. He is the sort of specialist openside that many observers feel Scotland have been lacking, and captained Glasgow Warriors in their Heineken Cup match against champions Toulon last month.
Brown’s axeing from the squad is a surprise as he can play across the back row, although head coach Scott Johnson had warned that the Saracens player was in the team as a 7 and his selection hinged on his performance there.
Scott suffered a broken hand against Japan in November but returned to action as a replacement in Dublin. Seymour was not considered for last week’s game because he suffered a dead leg in a club match the week before the championship.
There is one more change on the bench with Newcastle’s Scott Lawson taking the place of Glasgow’s Pat MacArthur.