Oliver Finlay's Sports Physiotherapy Blog

After a good day catching up with friends, going to the Scotland vs Italy rugby match & then meeting up with old friends in the Scotland team later in the evening, this morning I went back up to the Scotland team hotel to meet with Mutchy & Mossy (Chris Patterson). Whilst most of the talk in the hotel was of who had made the plane departing Edinburgh next Saturday as a member of the World Cup squad, we were meeting Ian Spence, a potential appointment as managing director of Hi-Innovation Ltd. Ian has spent some time around the research project recently & has impressed us all with his analytical approach to the business requirements of the project. So, all things being equal, after completing an initial consultancy period conducting a project analysis, Ian will eventually become a full-time member of the team.

Back to the rugby & much of the reflection had been on a job "satisfactorily" done, as the boys beat Italy 23-12 at Murrayfield. Tries for Scotland by Dicko (Ali Dickinson) & Blade (Mike Blair) were answered by Benvenuto & Semenzato but 3 penalties from fly-half, Parksy (Dan Parks) were enough to see the Scots through a rather nervy & scrappy affair. Understandably at this stage of preparations, different combinations of personnel are being tested & borderline squad players are being given their final opportunities to stake their claim for inclusion, so the chances of a fluid, flowing game are slim. Unfortunately, one player whose performance seemed to have done enough to convince head coach Andy Robinson that he should be given a jersey, was Osprey Nikki Walker, who sustained an unfortunate knee injury late in the game, which will cruelly rule him out of the New Zealand affair.

So after a mid-morning meeting, the boys gathered to learn their fate. Ally Kellock captains the squad, which will include Hi-Innovation director & Scotland's most-capped player Chris "Mossy" Paterson - congratulations Mossy on your 4th World Cup (indeed another Scotland record). The full squad, including many former colleagues from my time at Murrayfield, reads as follows:

Backs

Joe Ansbro (London Irish) 7 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC newcomer

Mike Blair (Edinburgh) 72 caps, 6 tries, 30 points – RWC 2003 and 2007

Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 53 caps, 3 tries, 15 points – RWC 2007

Simon Danielli (Ulster) 30 caps, 6 tries, 30 points – RWC 2003

Nick De Luca (Edinburgh) 26 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC newcomer

Max Evans (Castres) 20 caps, 3 tries, 5 points – RWC newcomer

Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 8 caps, 1 penalty, 2 conversions, 1 drop-goal, 10 points – RWC newcomer

Rory Lamont (Toulon) 25 caps, 6 tries, 30 points – RWC 2007

Sean Lamont (Scarlets) 56 caps, 8 tries, 40 points – RWC 2007

Rory Lawson (Gloucester) 28 caps – RWC 2007

Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors) 30 caps, 3 tries, 15 points – RWC newcomer

Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) 62 caps, 4 tries, 15 conversions, 48 penalties, 14 drop-goals, 236 points – RWC 2007

Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) 105 caps, 22 tries, 163 penalties, 89 conversions, 3 drop-goals, 786 points – RWC 1999, 2003 and 2007

Forwards

John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 29 caps, 2 tries, 10 points – RWC 2007

Kelly Brown (Saracens) 46 caps, 4 tries, 20 points – RWC 2007

Geoff Cross (Edinburgh) 6 caps – RWC newcomer

Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks) 21 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC 2007

Ross Ford (Edinburgh) 49 caps, 2 tries, 10 points – RWC 2007

Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps – RWC newcomer

Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors) 36 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC 2003

Jim Hamilton (Gloucester) 32 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC 2007

Nathan Hines (Clermont Ferrand) 73 caps, 2 tries, 10 points – RWC 2003 and 2007

Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh) 56 caps – RWC 2003 and 2007

Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) CAPTAIN 34 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC newcomer

Scott Lawson (Gloucester) 28 caps, 2 tries, 10 points – RWC 2007

Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 15 caps – RWC newcomer

Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons) 39 caps, 2 tries, 10 points – RWC 2007

Ross Rennie (Edinburgh) 8 caps – RWC newcomer

Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 20 caps, 1 try, 5 points – RWC newcomer

Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) 12 caps – RWC newcomer

Best of luck down under guys...I'm sure you'll do Scotland proud!!!