Scotland drop skipper for Boks

London - Scotland captain Kelly Brown was on Wednesday omitted from the squad unveiled by head coach Scott Johnson for Sunday's Test match against South Africa at Murrayfield.

Scarlets flanker John Barclay takes Brown's place in the pack, with Edinburgh scrum-half Greig Leidlaw inheriting the captain's armband.

Brown is expected to return for Scotland's final game of the end-of-year series against Australia on November 23.

Saracens' Duncan Taylor takes over from the injured Matt Scott at centre, while props Alasdair Dickinson and Moray Low and locks Jim Hamilton and Richie Gray also come into the scrum.

Gray's uncapped younger brother, Jonny, a fellow lock, has been named among the replacements.

Euan Murray is unavailable because he refuses to play on Sundays on religious grounds, while Ryan Grant drops to the bench after going off during last weekend's 42-17 victory over Japan with a head injury.

Alastair Kellock, who suffered concussion against Japanese, and man of the match Tim Swinson, who picked up a shoulder injury, were not named in the squad.

"I made it clear from the outset that there would be some constants in our selection for these three autumn tests, while we'd also look at both form and to the future," said Johnson.

"Injuries have also affected our plans this week, but the game is attritional so you just have to get on with it.

"As I said last weekend, and as you'll hear me say without fear or favour at every game, the contact area will be vital this weekend and we have to improve there against a very clinical South African side."

Teams:

Scotland:

15 Sean Maitland, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 8 David Denton, 7 John Barclay, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Moray Low, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson

Substitutes: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 John Beattie, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Max Evans