Scotland: Gregor Townsend says strong team in Georgia not big risk

Sam Skinner's World Cup dream ended at Murrayfield on Saturday

Fielding a strong Scotland team against Georgia is not an unnecessary risk before next month's World Cup, insists head coach Gregor Townsend.

Stuart McInally, Hamish Watson, Greig Laidlaw and Finn Russell are all in the starting line-up for Saturday's Test.

Lock Sam Skinner is out of the World Cup due to a hamstring injury picked up in Saturday's win over France.

"If people get injured on the way then that's just bad luck, it happens," Townsend told BBC Scotland.

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"The more exposure our players get to playing and improving and learning together, the better place we'll be come the World Cup.

"The most important thing is we go to Japan playing the best possible rugby we can to give ourselves the best chance of beating Ireland on September 22."

This will be the final audition for players hoping to make the plane to Japan before Townsend names his final squad of 31 on Tuesday.

With a sell-out crowd of around 55,000 expected at the Dinamo Arena for Georgia's first home match against Tier One opposition, Townsend believes it will be excellent preparation for their final World Cup pool match against Japan.

"There will be 60,000 in the stadium in Yokohama, most of them cheering for Japan," Townsend said. "On Saturday there will be 55,000, most of them cheering for Georgia.

"This is an historic game for them, Japan will be an historic game for them as hosts of the World Cup for the first time. It's a different environment, very few of our players have been in Georgia before.

"It's further to travel, a new team this week, but this is what makes a team. Coming together, going up against a physical team that will have the energy of the crowd, and playing our best rugby on the day."