Rugby: Laidlaw all set to face All Blacks

Greig LAIDLAW looks to have won his battle with the shoulder injury which ruled him out of Edinburgh’s last three games and is also set to see off the challenge of Ruaridh Jackson to claim a starting spot in Scotland’s opening EMC 
Autumn Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield on Sunday.

In getting the call Laidlaw will return to where his international career began against the All Blacks as a substitute two years ago, albeit then it was in his alternative position of scrum half.

Less fortunate appears to be Edinburgh colleague Dave Denton who is expected to drop out of the back row to accommodate fit-again skipper, Kelly Brown. Brown is likely to lead from No. 8 with Al Strokosch, named as Scotland’s player of the summer tour, at blindside for his first Murrayfield start since this year’s Six Nations opener. The biggest question mark as coach Andy Robinson prepares to unveil his line-up hangs over second row Richie Gray, who missed a club game last Friday due to ankle damage but it is anticipated the Sale Shark will start.

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Meanwhile, in an attempt to “humanise” the All Blacks, the home side have been viewing a compilation of their errors made during recent matches.

Scotland video analyst Rob Holdsworth is the man behind the compilation although it is not known how many matches were required to justify the 
exercise.