Scotland call Graham to arms
George Graham finally gets his first crack at the Auld Enemy at Murrayfield a week on Saturday - at the ripe old age of 36. Scotland banished any doubts about whether Newcastle's durable prop could extend his career into another Six Nations championship by finding room for him in their final 22 as the only alternative to the established pair of Tom Smith and Matt Stewart. With Budge Pountney restored to the captaincy, Scotland's starting XV hinges on the fitness of three injured players - Sale scrum half Bryan Redpath, Lions hooker Gordon Bulloch and flanker Martin Leslie, one of four New Zealanders chosen by coach Ian McGeechan.
Lawrence Dallaglio has postponed his Premiership comeback for a fortnight, which almost certainly delays his England return until the home match against Wales on March 23 at the earliest.
Wasps, who had hoped to reintroduce him at Newcastle on Sunday, say he will play against Bristol on February 10, despite damaging the knee which had to be rebuilt after the Lions tour last summer.
'Because it's the same knee, Lawrence is being overly cautious,'Wasps rugby director Nigel Melville said. 'He's had a scan but there is no problem. There's no point rushing back until he's fully ready.'
SCOTLAND (from): B Laney, G Metcalfe, J Leslie, A Henderson, J McLaren, C Paterson, D Hodge, G Townsend, B Redpath, A Nicol, G Graham, T Smith, M Stewart, G Bulloch, R Russell, S Grimes, S Murray, J White, B Pountney (capt), S Taylor, M Leslie, J Petrie.
