HEAD Coach Vern Cotter today named the Scotland team to face Japan in the national team's opening game of the Rugby World Cup at Kingsholm Stadium this Wednesday (23 September, kick-off 2.30pm) – live on ITV.


The sides have met on four previous Test-capped occasions – twice in the World Cup – with the Scots coming out on top each time; the most recent of which being a 42-17 autumn win at BT Murrayfield two years ago.

Japan then went on to record 11 consecutive wins to help elevate their status to a top-ten side in the World Rugby rankings for the first time, before underlining their improved status with a 34-32 win over South Africa in their opening game of the Rugby World Cup.

Cotter said: "We've prepared well for what will be a very tough Test against a powerful and fit Japanese team, who like to play a high-tempo game.

"They [Japan] will have taken a lot of confidence from their opening win over South Africa however that doesn't change our approach to this game or the pool.

"The priority for us to ensure that we get our jobs right with accuracy, and impose ourselves on the game.”

Captain Greig Laidlaw, from Jedburgh, will lead his men into his first Rugby World Cup outing at his club ground in Gloucester alongside stand-off Finn Russell.

Centres Matt Scott and Mark Bennett have been given the nod to get Scotland's campaign underway in midfield, with full-back Stuart Hogg, from Hawick, and wings Sean Lamont and Tommy Seymour completing the back division.

Edinburgh Rugby prop Alasdair Dickinson will also run out in familiar surroundings, with the former Gloucesterman (2007-11) selected to start alongside club-mates Ross Ford (hooker), from Kelso, and Willem Nel (prop).

Grant Gilchrist will partner Jonny Gray in the second-row, with Ryan Wilson, John Hardie and number 8 David Denton named as the starting loose forwards.

On the bench Ryan Grant has recovered from his ankle injury to join Fraser Brown and Jon Welsh as the front-row replacements, Richie Gray and the uncapped Josh Strauss deputise at lock and back-row, while Henry Pyrgos, Peter Horne and Sean Maitland provide cover across the backs.
 

Scotland team to play Japan at Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester on Wednesday 23 September (kick-off 2.30pm) – live on ITV

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 33 caps; 9 tries, 1 pen, 48 points

14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps; 7 tries, 45 points
13 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 29 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 97 caps; 14 tries, 70 points

10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps; 1 try, 2 cons, 9 points
9 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 41 caps; 3 tries, 44 cons, 88 pens, 367 points

1 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 47 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 90 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
3 Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – 3 caps
4 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 10 caps; 1 try, 5 points
5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps; 1 try, 5 points
6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps
7 John Hardie (unattached) – 2 caps
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 28 caps

Substitutes
16 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 10 caps
17 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) – 23 caps
18 Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 7 caps, 1 try, 5 points
19 Richie Gray (Castres) – 46 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
20 Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps, 4 tries, 20 points
22 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 10 caps, 1 try, 1 con, 1 pen, 7 points
23 Sean Maitland (London Irish) – 16 caps, 2 tries, 10 points