Doddie Weir retains his place in Scotland's second row tomorrow when he will come face to face with Va'aiga Tuigamala, his Newcastle club-mate who has been chosen as a left wing by Samoa for the quarterfinal play-off at Murrayfield.
Weir, the 29-year-old Lion playing in his third World Cup, impressed in Scotland's 48-0 win over Spain at Murrayfield last Saturday. He returned after breaking a leg in Scotland's first game of last season's Five Nations.
The Scotland coach Jim Telfer knows that if Samoa have a weakness it is in the front five and lineout, a phase where Weir and Scott Murray ought to dominate.
Stuart Grimes, chosen in the first two pool games in the second row, is on the bench along with another Lion, Alan Tait. It was thought that Tait's physical presence would be needed to counter the bulky Samoan backs but Telfer, less than impressed with Tait's recent attitude, has paired James McLaren and Jamie Mayer, his centre pairing against Spain in the midfield.
Gregor Townsend retains his place at out-half despite fitful performances against South Africa and Uruguay, while Gary Armstong returns to captain the side alongside Townsend after recovering from a badly bruised back when late tackled by Uruguay's prop Pablo Lemoine 11 days ago.
England coach Clive Woodward continues to juggle his squad resources and made sweeping changes for tomorrow's World Cup quarter-final play-off against Fiji at Twickenham.
Woodward makes seven changes - one positional - including first World Cup starts for Northampton's Nick Beal, Bath centre Mike Catt and Leicester prop Darren Garforth, as England seek a last-eight appointment with world champions South Africa in Paris next weekend.
Beal replaces Austin Healey on the right wing, who switches to scrum-half instead of Matt Dawson from the England side that racked up 101 points against Pool B opponents Tonga last Friday.
Catt is given an opportunity alongside Will Greenwood in midfield, with Phil de Glanville on the replacements' bench and no place in the 22 for Jeremy Guscott.
Out-half Paul Grayson also drops down to the bench, despite kicking a new England record 36 points at Tonga's expense, as Jonny Wilkinson returns.
Up front, Garforth takes over from tighthead Phil Vickery, who has escaped a World Cup citing despite his involvement in an ugly incident during the Tonga game, but is now given a breather.
Jason Leonard is back as the other prop, replacing Graham Rowntree, and open-side flanker Neil Back returns in a straight swap for Richard Hill, with Joe Worsley keeping his place.
Wales have reacted to last week's surprise defeat against Samoa by recalling the flanker Colin Charvis to add to some punch to their forward effort for Saturday's quarterfinal against Australia at the Millennium Stadium.
A chastened Charvis is available again after serving a 14-day suspension imposed after the opening match of the tournament between Wales and Argentina. The Swansea forward was cited after exchanging punches with Pumas prop Roberto Grau.
"I deserved what I got," said Charvis, one of two changes in the Wales team. Craig Quinnell is fit again to resume in the second row.
