Filed under: Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, Internationals, Ireland Rugby, Scotland Rugby
Scotland coach Andy Robinson has called upon his side to "inspire" the Scottish nation after naming his 30-man World Cup squad.Alastair Kellock has been selected as captain although Nikki Walker will be sorely missed after getting injured against Italy last weekend.
Chris Paterson will compete in his fourth World Cup although Robinson's squad is relatively inexperienced with 12 players featuring in their first tournament.
Glasgow Warriors' Johnnie Beattie is perhaps the most startling omission as his recent shoulder problem has not given him the chance to impress the Scotland hierachy.
Robinson said: "I want to pay tribute to the dedicated and professional approach of all those in our provisional squad.
"Eight players have been unfortunate to miss out from that squad but that is because of the talent we have been able to assemble in our final 30.
"As a squad we have our values and uppermost among them is to inspire the nation by the way in which we conduct ourselves and through winning performances on the international rugby field."
Kellock added: "Today is about reflecting on the huge honour of being selected for the squad, which is magnified by being asked to captain the squad.
"I intend to do my utmost to reward the coaches' faith in me and make the country proud by what we achieve in New Zealand."
For Ireland, coach Declan Kidney has left out Tomas O'Leary and Luke Fitzgerald from a 30-man squad despite both men being tipped to be on the plane to New Zealand.
O'Leary has lost out to Munster teammate Conor Murray and will be one of three scrum-halves alongside Isaac Boss and Eoin Reddan.
Kidney has also selected Munster hooker Jerry Flannery despite his appalling recent injury run.
Flannery has barely been able to get out of the blocks for the past 12 months due to a succession of calf problems but he is in Kidney's side and he paid tribute to Kidney's patience.
He told ESPNscrum.com: "I've worked as hard as I can and for so long. The medical team and (coach) Kidney have shown a huge amount of patience and I want to repay them.
"I want to play as much as I can and if I try to take a positive on the last year, whatever's been wrong with my calf the rest of my body is pretty fresh.
"I feel mentally fresh and my hunger for the game has never been so great. I don't want to get fit just to make up the numbers; I want to go out there to do something. I want to play hard and win."
Scotland squad:
Backs: Joe Ansbro (London Irish), Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Max Evans (Castres), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Lamont (Toulon), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh).
Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester), Nathan Hines (Clermont Auvergne), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (captain, Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks).
Ireland Squad:
Forwards: R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Sale), T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Ferris (Ulster), J Flannery (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster) S O'Brien (Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster)
Backs: I Boss (Leinster), T Bowe (Ospreys), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster), G Murphy (Leicester), C Murray (Munster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), R O'Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster)
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