Scotland Sevens coach Stephen Gemmell and his Canadian counterpart Shane Thompson have both named squads with a mix of youth and experience for the next two legs of the IRB Sevens World Series in New Zealand and USA.
Gemmell has been forced to make more changes, retaining only half of the 12 players who helped Scotland reach the Cup quarter-finals in both Dubai and George, stretching the run to seven consecutive tournaments.
The most significant addition is that of the experienced Mike Adamson as playmaker, filling the role that Colin Gregor occupied so well in the opening legs, while Greig Laidlaw and Neil Rodger receive their first Scotland Sevens call ups.
Gregor misses the trip to remain with the Glasgow Warriors, while Ruaridh Jackson, Stephen McColl and Chris Kinloch are all expected to feature for Scotland in the Under 20 Six Nations which kicks off on the same day as the New Zealand International Sevens.
Colin Shaw, Ali Warnock and Jamie Hunter all return to the international Sevens arena for tournaments which see Scotland paired with Argentina, USA and Tonga in Wellington and then New Zealand, Wales and France a week later in San Diego.
Three changes for Canada
“We are a top eight team and want to push on from that. The group of players we’ve selected are certainly capable of doing that,” said Gemmell, whose side lie eighth in the standings with eight points from two events.
Canada, by contrast, initially made only two changes with Ciaran Hearn and Gordie Sawers coming in to replace Daniel van der Merwe and Nathan Hirayama, who had missed their Shield final success in George after being injured in Dubai.
However Thompson has now made another change with Harry Jones stepping in to replace Rob Turk, so joining Hearn in the national squad for the first time. Sawers has played on the IRB Sevens World Series before, ironically making his debut for Canada at the 2007 New Zealand International Sevens in Wellington.
Canada are yet to score any points in 2007/08 and have been handed a difficult pool in Wellington with Series pacesetters New Zealand and defending champions Samoa, along with Papua New Guinea, awaiting them at the Westpac Stadium. They then face Argentina, Kenya and Chile in Pool C at the USA Sevens a week later.
Scotland squad:
Scott Forrest (Captain), Richie Vernon, Scott Newlands, Chris Fusaro, Neil Rodger, Colin Shaw, Jamie Hunter, Greig Laidlaw, Mike Adamson, James Thompson, Ali Warnock, Andrew Dymock.
Canada squad:
Benjamin Grant, Ciaran Hearn, Adam Kleeberger, Jordan Kozina, Philip Mack, Philip MacKenzie, Neil Meechan, Robert Turk, Gordie Sawers, Ty Shannon, Sean-Michael Stephen, Dean van Camp.
