Gloucester scrum-half Greig Laidlaw is set to return as captain of the national side as Scotland look to step up their Rugby World Cup preparations when they face Italy in their third warm-up match this summer.
Laidlaw has regularly featured as the captain of former Clermont Auvergne head coach Vern Cotter’s side during the Autumn Internationals and this year’s RBS 6 Nations, but will only feature for the first time this Saturday after Scotland lost to Ireland but managed to record a victory over Italy in Turin in their first two matches.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, Laidlaw admitted he was pleased to be featuring once again: “There’s always pressure and the players who’ve captained against Ireland and Italy have done a great job.
“But, in terms of myself, I’ll play my own game; you can’t take your eye off the ball. I know the players and coaches respect me and vice versa”.
“It would be a huge honour to captain Scotland at the World Cup but I have to play my own game and then what will be will be.”
Cotter has announced 15 changes to his 25-man squad after releasing seven players earlier this week while a number of more established players have returned – including Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell.
However, the World Cup squad announcement will not be made until September 1 and Cotter has given centre Mark Bennett and winger Tommy Seymour their first taste of action this series while nine alterations in the forwards pack sees lock Jonny Gray and back-row Ryan Wilson also start their first game.
This return fixture at Murrayfield will be Scotland’s last before the head coach will announce his 31-man squad for the World Cup in England and Wales while a final warm-up game is scheduled against France in Paris, taking place on September 5.
