Robinson: Preparing for England clash

Scotland battle England in the must-win Pool B battle at Eden Park in Auckland with a side showing six changes and one positional switch from the one which began the 13-12 loss to Argentina.

With the Pumas expected to beat Georgia, victory by at least eight points - thus denying England a losing bonus point - is a must for Scotland to extend their record of reaching at least the quarter-finals in every World Cup.

Robinson hopes his team can play at a high tempo and speed, with Mike Blair named at scrum-half, Sean Lamont at centre alongside Joe Ansbro and Simon Danielli on the wing, behind a pack which sees the return of captain Alastair Kellock, prop Euan Murray and number eight Richie Vernon.

Robinson said: "I just felt that we need to put a bit more pace into the team.

"Secondly getting the balance right, because you can put pace in the team but you still have to be able to establish a go-forward.

"We have to be able to play through England because we won't be able to beat them by just playing around them.

"Picking Mike at scrum-half with Chris (Cusiter) on the bench I believe we're able to do that, and with Sean coming in at centre."

Second row Kellock was omitted from the team to play the Pumas, despite being named tournament captain in August, and comes in for Jim Hamilton, who has been struggling with a knee injury.

Now scrum-half Lawson, the captain against Georgia and Argentina, must face up to being outside the matchday 22, with Blair preferred for the Edinburgh number nine to win his 75th cap.

Graeme Morrison has been omitted for Lamont at centre, with Danielli coming onto the wing.

Robinson added: "He (Lamont) is confident coming in there and we need a ball-carrier that can buy us some time to get players into position, and Sean did that well.

"He was up to 10 or 11 carries last week on the wing, and we expect him to carry more in the centre."

Indeed, from Ruaridh Jackson at fly-half to Chris Paterson - set to make his record 15th World Cup appearance - it is the same Scotland three-quarter line which played in the 22-16 RBS 6 Nations loss to England at Twickenham in March.

Since then Samoa-born Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has entered the England reckoning, making quite an impact.

Robinson added: "We picked our team not focusing on one player.

"England have got 15 fantastic players and we've got to be able to deal with all the threats that are there, and this team has been picked to deal with all of those threats."