Nicol fit - but will he play?
March 12, 2001

Scotland scrum-half Andy Nicol has been given a clean bill of health in the build up to Saturday's Six Nations encounter with Italy at Murrayfield - but coach Ian McGeechan refused to reveal if he would retain the captaincy, or even be in the starting line up.

McGeechan said: "I have decided who will be skipper - and the player knows who will be leading them, but I will not be divulging the details until I name the team on Thursday." If Nicol is overlooked, the armband will be passed to flanker Budge Pountney, who led the Scots in the autumn internationals against USA, Australia and Samoa.

Gregor Townsend looks a certainty to start after coming through his live fitness test at the weekend. The fly half, who sustained knee damage early in the Six Nations opener against France in Paris, played 40 minutes for Castres as they beat Mont-de-Marsan. He said: "It was good to be back in the game, and even better that there was no adverse reaction. It was a huge disappointment to be injured at that particular time. Missing the matches against Wales and England was extremely frustrating."

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