Scotland will play their second of four Nations Championship matches this weekend as Australia visit Murrayfield following the disappointment of last Saturday’s 43-21 defeat to New Zealand.
With two more fixtures to play after this one it’s likely that the coaching team will have to consider some rotation in key positions. There were also a few below-par performers from the All Blacks loss who could be at risk of losing their place as well as some tactical considerations.
Here is The Scotsman’s predicted starting XV and replacements for the fixture and where we think some of the potentially match defining selections could be made:
1. Pierre Schoeman
Named on the bench against the All Blacks but likely to return to the starting XV this weekend | SNS Group / SRU
2. Ewan Ashman
His hat-trick against the All Blacks will have silenced anyone doubting his position as Scotland's starting hooker | Getty Images
3. Zander Fagerson
Another big shift required from the experienced prop before likely getting a rest when Japan visit Edinburgh next week | SNS Group
4. Gregor Brown
One of the better performers last weekend both as a lock and in the back row and that versatility is such a useful tool for the coaching team | SNS Group