Rugby Union: Silver lining for Scots' stand-in

Scotland's development squad, the Silver Thistles, ran in seven tries as they beat Waikato's Under-21 team 41-18 in New Zealand yesterday.

A local player, Mike Davies, standing in for the full-back Campbell Aitken, claimed four of the tries with Iain Sinclair, Gareth Flockhart and Alan Bulloch also scoring. Mark McKenzie converted two of the tries and kicked one successful penalty.

Aitken, who went home for family reasons, flies back to New Zealand later this week but Matt McGrandles is returning to Scotland, having suffered a shin injury.

Argentina have dropped three players and made two positional changes for the second Test against New Zealand on Saturday. The winger Thomas Solari, who scored the Pumas' only try in their 93-8 loss in Wellington last week, has been replaced by Diego Albanese and up front Roberto Travaglini comes in for flanker Christian Viel and Mario Ledesma for hooker Carlo Promanzio.

Rolando Martin, last week's blindside flanker, switches to open side and Facundo Soler moves to right wing from the left. Solari and Promanzio have been demoted to the bench.

The promotion of Albanese and Travaglini, both 23, resulted from their performance in Tuesday's 26-10 loss to Taranaki, the Pumas' coach, Jose Imhoff, said yesterday.

ARGENTINA (v New Zealand, second Test, Hamilton, Saturday): E Jurado; F Soler, E Simone, D Albanese, L Arbizu (capt); G Quesada, F Miranda; P Camerlinckz, R Martin, G Llanes, P Sporleder, R Travaglini, M Reggiardo, M Ledesma, R Grau. Replacements (from): C Barrea, T Solari, AN Other, C Promanzio, O Hasan, P Bouza.