Flanker Ross Rennie was on Tuesday called up by Scotland for their Rugby World Cup warm-up against Ireland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

The Edinburgh forward is set to make his first start at openside flanker in a team showing five changes and one positional switch from the XV which beat Italy 21-8 in Scotland's final Six Nations fixture on March 19.

Johnnie Beattie will start at No.8 and Alasdair Strokosch completes an all-changed back row by coming in at blindside flanker, while Jim Hamilton will start at lock.

Graeme Morrison returns at inside centre, with Sean Lamont moving to wing and Simon Danielli dropping out of the 22 altogether.

Rory Lawson will captain the team, with Alastair Kellock, Scotland's skipper during the Six Nations, named on the bench.

Kellock was one of five players withdrawn from club service by Scotland head coach Andy Robinson in preparation for the World Cup.

Richie Gray, Ross Ford and Allan Jacobsen have all been named for their first competitive action since the Six Nations, but John Barclay has been left out of the matchday squad.

Two uncapped players have been named on the bench - 21-year-old Edinburgh back-row forward David Denton and 23-year-old Bath full-back Jack Cuthbert.

The Ireland Test is the first of two World Cup warm-ups for Scotland, with Italy visiting Edinburgh on August 20.

Robinson said: "In any international match there is always a huge amount at stake, but the EMC Tests take on extra significance this year as we hone our preparations for the start of the world's third biggest sporting event.

"I am a firm believer that competition brings the best out in players and I've said to the squad that it lies in their hands to make the case for their inclusion in the final 30 for New Zealand."

Robinson named a 40-man provisional World Cup squad on May 10, but Hugo Southwell and Fergus Thomson have since withdrawn injured.

Eight further players will be dropped from the squad before the finalparty for New Zealand is named on August 22.

Scotland's World Cup campaign begins against Romania on September 10 in Invercargill.

Scotland team to play Ireland on Saturday

Chris Paterson, Nikki Walker, Joe Ansbro, Graeme Morrison, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, Rory Lawson (capt), Johnnie Beattie, Ross Rennie, Alasdair Strokosch, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Geoff Cross, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen. Res: Dougie Hall, Alasdair Dickinson, Alastair Kellock, David Denton, Greig Laidlaw, Nick De Luca, Jack Cuthbert

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