Scotland name Blair as skipper

Mike Blair was today named as captain as Scotland coach Andy Robinson named his team for Saturday's opening autumn international against New Zealand on Saturday.

With Alastair Kellock injured, Glasgow's Richie Gray came into the second row for his first start and Edinburgh scrum-half Blair took over the captaincy in five changes to the starting XV from Scotland's last Test five months ago, the 13-9 win over Argentina in June.

Blair assumed the number nine jersey from Rory Lawson, who was named on the bench, with wing Rory Lamont, prop Euan Murray and number eight Richie Vernon also named in the starting line-up.

Scotland team to play New Zealand at Murrayfield on Saturday, November 13, kick-off 1715:

H Southwell (Stade Francais); R Lamont (Toulon), M Evans (Glasgow Warriors), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), S Lamont (Scarlets); D Parks (Cardiff Blues), M Blair (Edinburgh); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), R Gray (Glasgow Warriors) J Hamilton (Gloucester), K Brown (Saracens), R Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), J Barclay (Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), A Dickinson (Gloucester), N Hines (Leinster), R Rennie (Edinburgh), R Lawson (Gloucester), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), N Walker (Ospreys).