Vern Cotter taking no chances with Japan

Scotland head coach Vern Cotter will put out a near first-choice line-up as he looks to avoid becoming the second side to slip up against World Cup shock troops Japan.

Scrum-half Greig Laidlaw will skipper the Dark Blues at Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium on Wednesday in the Scots' Pool B opener.

And Cotter has taken little risks ahead of facing a Cherry Blossoms side still buzzing from their surprise 34-32 win over South Africa on Saturday.

Mark Bennett and Matt Scott will form the Scots' midfield partnership, while Stuart Hogg has shaken off an ankle knock to get the nod at full-back.

Wing Sean Lamont - partnered by Tommy Seymour - will nudge closer to his century of caps when he makes his 98th Scotland appearance, while Finn Russell will be expected to set a rapid tempo against the physical Japanese outfit from stand-off.

The all Edinburgh front-row of props Alasdair Dickinson, WP Nel and hooker Ross Ford lead a pack that also features locks Grant Gilchrist and Jonny Gray in the second-row, with Ryan Wilson, John Hardie and number eight David Denton named as the starting loose forwards.

South African-born Josh Strauss - who only qualified for Scotland through residency rules last week - could make his Test debut off the bench.

The Scots have won all four of their previous clashes against Japan but Cotter knows his side will face a side high on confidence after their Springboks triumph.

He said: "We've prepared well for what will be a very tough Test against a powerful and fit Japanese team, who like to play a high-tempo game.

"They [Japan] will have taken a lot of confidence from their opening win over South Africa, however that doesn't change our approach to this game or the pool.

"The priority for us is to ensure that we get our jobs right with accuracy, and impose ourselves on the game."

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 13 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) 12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) 9 Greig Laidlaw (c) (Gloucester)

1 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) 3 Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) 7 John Hardie (unattached) 8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby) – 28 caps

Substitutes
?16 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 17 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) 18 Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) 9 Richie Gray (Castres) 20 Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) 21 Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 22 Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 23 Sean Maitland (London Irish)