Ford plays down Murray's absence

Hooker ross Ford has played down the Sabbath-day absence of prop Euan Murray for Scotland's vital match with Argentina in Wellington on Sunday.

Tight head Murray played a key role in the win over Georgia, when the Scots' pack moved up a gear. Ford said: "That has to be the starting point – how we finished against Georgia. Argentina pose a lot of different questions, so as a pack we've got to front up."

With Geoff Cross likely to start in Murray's place, Ford added: "It doesn't affect us. We interchange quite often in training, on the scrum machine and live scrums. It doesn't cause any massive upheaval at all."