Head coach Andy Robinson has confirmed tonight that neither scrum-half Chris Cusiter nor flanker Alan MacDonald will feature in the Scotland team to play Argentina in the first Test in Tucuman on Saturday.

Speaking after the Scotland team trained in Buenos Aires today, Robinson said he wanted to allow both players the chance to focus on their own recovery rather than being concerned about delivering for their country at the weekend. Cusiter has been bothered by a persistent knee injury sustained against the Scarlets in a Magners League match last month, while MacDonald had an abdomen injury.   Both trained with Scotland today, MacDonald in full contact.

Robinson is demanding that his side get into their stride early in the hostile environment of Tucuman.  He noted: “Scotland are notably slow-starters.   It can take us a game to get going and we cannot afford to do that going into this first Test match.”

Scotland train in Buenos Aires - their field is adjacent to the local airport

The Scotland team for that game will be announced on Thursday lunchtime (UK time) and Robinson discouraged the media today from speculating on who would lead the team in Cusiter’s absence. 

“You cannot assume Mike (Blair) will be captain. Never assume anything in this game,” he said.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors centre Graeme Morrison was tonight recalling the last game he played on Argentinian soil – the test match victory in Buenos Aires two years ago, which he crowned with the decisive try eight minutes from time.

Morrison echoed his coach's comments insisting that Scotland would be geed up from the outset for Saturday's match.

Meanwhile late on Tuesday evening the Pumas named their team with Felipe Contepomi restored both as stand-off and captain having missed last November's match at Murrrayfield through injury.

Argentina team: Martin Rodriguez; Lucas Borges, Gonzalo Tiesi, Santiago Fernandez, Horacio Agulla; Felipe Contepomi CAPTAIN, Alfredo Lalanne; Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, Martín Scelzo, Manuel Carizza, Patricio Albacete, Genaro Fessia, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, Juan Manuel Leguizamon.

Substitutes: Agustín Creevy, Marcos Ayerza, Mariano Galarza, Alejandro Campos, Agustín Figuerola, Ignacio Mieres, Lucas González Amorosino