Bench spot for Saxon Benjamin (From Worcester News)

Bench spot for Saxon Benjamin

12:10pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Warriors By Tom Guest, @tomguestWN #WENsport

MILES Benjamin has been named on the bench for England Saxons’ clash with Scotland ‘A’ at Galashiels on Friday night (7.30pm).

However, fellow Warrior Matt Mullan, who caught the eye in the Saxons’s 23-17 win against Ireland Wolfhounds on Friday, has been released from the squad and will return to Sixways, but he is unlikely to feature for his club against Ospreys in Saturday’s LV= Cup dead-rubber (3pm).

Gloucester prop Nick Wood has replaced Mullan at loosehead as one of eight changes to the Saxons starting line-up.

Another Worcester player, centre Alex Grove, is poised to line-up against the Saxons after being named in an initial 15-man Scotland ‘A’ training squad.

The hosts’ team will be augmented with senior team members to make a full squad, but it is thought the 15 players already named are likely to start the game.

Saxons: Abendanon (Bath); Monye (Harlequins), Joseph (London Irish), Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), May (Gloucester); Lamb (Northampton Saints), Spencer (Saracens); Wood (Gloucester), Brooker (Harlequins), Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Slater (Leicester Tigers), Robson (Harlequins), Gaskell (Sale Sharks), Saull (Saracens), Johnson (Exeter).

Replacements: Gray (Harlequins), Harden (Gloucester), Myall, Seymour (both Sale Sharks), Hodgson (London Irish), Burns (Gloucester), Benjamin (Worcester Warriors).