Rugby Union: Telfer reshuffles as Pountney pulls out

BUDGE POUNTNEY has been forced to pull out of Scotland's international with Romania at Hampden Park today.

The Northampton flanker suffered a reaction to a calf strain in training and has caused coach Jim Telfer to make a major re-adjustment to his back- row. Martin Leslie switches to Pountney's openside position, with Newcastle's Peter Walton coming in at blindside.

Today's game marks the return of international rugby to Glasgow for the first time since 1908 - but the change in venue has done nothing to inspire interest. Only 11,000 turned out at Murrayfield last week to watch the Scots suffer an unexpected defeat at the hands of Argentina and less than 5,000 tickets have been sold for today's game, Scotland's last until their World Cup opener against South Africa on 3 October.

Coach Jim Telfer makes five changes from the side beaten by Argentina. Hooker Robert Russell makes his debut, while winger Shaun Longstaff replaces Cammie Murray, who is out with a back injury. There are also chances for Gordon Simpson at No 8 and Newcastle prop George Graham, who comes into the tight-head position in place of fellow veteran Paul Burnell.

SCOTLAND (v Romania, Hampden Park, today): G Metcalfe; S Longstaff (both Glasgow Caledonians), A Tait (Edinburgh Reivers), J McLaren (Bourgoin- Jallieu), K Logan (London Wasps); D Hodge (Edinburgh Reivers), G Armstrong (Newcastle Falcons, capt); T Smith (Glasgow Caledonians), R Russell (Edinburgh Reivers), G Graham (Newcastle Falcons), S Murray (Saracens), S Grimes (Glasgow Caledonians), M Leslie (Edinburgh Reivers), G Simpson (Glasgow Caledonians), B Pountney (Northampton). Replacements: C Joiner (Leicester), C Chalmers (Glasgow Caledonians), B Redpath (Narbonne), P Walton, D Weir (both Newcastle Falcons), D Hilton, G Scott (both Glasgow Caledonians).

ROMANIA: M Vioreanu (Universitatea Timisoara); R Fugigi (Caen), G Brezoianu (Universitatea Timisoara), R Gontineac (Aurillac), C Sauan (Universitatea Cluj); R Vusec (Strasbourg), P Mitu (Steaua Bucharest); D Niculae (Aurillac), P Balan (Dinamo Bucharest), C Stan (Dinamo Bucharest), C Draguceanu (Steaua Bucharest), D Chiriac (Farul Constanta), F Corodeanu (Steaua Bucharest), A Petrache (Dinamo Bucharest, capt), E Septar (Farul Constanta). Replacements: M Iacob, C Hildan (both Dinamo Bucharest), G Solomie (Aurillac), O Slusaruic (Dinamo Bucharest), A Popean (Universitatea Cluj), D Tudosa (Steaua Bucharest), V Chirita (Farul Constanta).