Posted on Nov 12, 2010 in Rugby News
Greig Laidlaw, the uncapped Edinburgh scrum-half, has today been added to the Scotland 22 for Saturday’s EMC Autumn Test against New Zealand at Murrayfield.
Laidlaw, nephew of the former Scotland and British Lions scrum-half, Roy Laidlaw, replaces Rory Lawson, who has not recovered sufficiently from a hand injury he sustained in action for his club Gloucester.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “This is obviously disappointing for Rory but there’s now an opportunity for Greig, who is tenacious and fiercely competitive and has shown the skills and mindset on his appearances for Scotland A and Scotland 7s and on his performances for Edinburgh to underline his international credentials.”
Laidlaw said: “You feel for your team-mate in a situation like this but it’s clearly a great chance for me and one I’m determined to take if I get game time.”
Scotland captain Mike Blair, Laidlaw’s Edinburgh colleague, today confirmed he is relishing the prospect of leading the national side into battle on Saturday. The scrum-half told www.scotlandrugbyteam.org: "It’s going to be a fantastic occasion and a great opportunity for us to give our supporters another memorable day.
"The All Blacks are a top quality side, and we will have to be at the top of our game, matching their skill, enthusiasm and intensity, but we go into the match in a very positive frame of mind and ready for the challenge. "
More than 53,000 tickets have now been sold for Saturday’s game. The remaining seats can still be booked in three ways: via the Scottish Rugby website (www.scottishrugby.org); via the 24 hour phone line 0844 335 3933; or in person from the Scottish Rugby Ticket Centre, Gate A, Roseburn Street, Edinburgh.
Please note there are no ticket sales on match day. Website and phone line sales close at 12 midnight on Friday, while the Ticket Centre is open for personal purchasers from 9am-8pm, Monday to Friday this week.
Tickets are priced at £20, £25 and £45 for adults and £10, £12.50 and £22.50 for under-18s.
Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh). Scrum-half. Born 12.10.85 in Edinburgh. Height: 5ft 9ins. Weight: 12st 4lbs.
Greig David Laidlaw, a nephew of Scotland’s legendary scrum half, Roy Laidlaw, joined Edinburgh Rugby in summer 2006 from Jed-Forest after two years in the Scotland under-21 team.
In January 2008 he was called into the Scotland 7s squad for the first time for the IRB tournaments the following month in Wellington (New Zealand) and San Diego (USA), and he continued in the Hong Kong, Adelaide (Australia), London and Edinburgh tournaments. A week after the Australian tournament he played for the Scottish Thistles who won the Melrose club’s 125th anniversary sevens. He marked his international sevens debut with a try in the win against Tonga in Scotland’s opening match in Wellington.
Immediately after the 2008 Edinburgh 7s tournament he crossed the Atlantic with the Scotland A squad for the Barclays Churchill Cup in Canada, making his debut as scrum-half in the win against Argentina. He had further Scotland A appearances as a replacement against Ireland and Italy in February 2009. He was back in the sevens squad in May 2009 for the IRB’s Twickenham and Murrayfield tournaments. Six months later he won the man-of-the-match award as a try-scorer in Scotland A’s win against Tonga by 38-7 at Netherdale, Galashiels. In 2010 Greig has been named in the Scotland sevens squad and has appeared for Scotland A against both Ireland A and Italy A. Greig was honoured to be named captain in the latter of these fixtures. In the summer of 2010 he added three more appearances for Scotland A against Georgia, Namibia and the Argentine Jaguars during the IRB Nations Cup.
Greig’s first appearance for Edinburgh was as a replacement in the Magners League victory against Leinster at Murrayfield in September 2006, and his first start for the professional team was against Cardiff Blues the following November, also at Murrayfield. Greig made his under-21 international debut as a replacement in the win against Italy in Inverness in February 2005. He subsequently played in the under-21 world championship in Mendoza, Argentina, and he was first-choice scrum-half throughout the 2006 under-21 6 Nations championship and the world championship in France, where he scored a try in each of two successive matches against Georgia and Fiji.
His earlier representative rugby included games for Borders’ under-16 and under-18 as well as Scotland under-18.
Donny have proven to be a close rival of the Green and Whites over the years, with a series of closely contested match-ups stretching all the way back to the 19th century.
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