Chris Cusiter, the Borders scrum-half who has been recalled to the Scotland side to play the Pacific Islanders at Murrayfield this afternoon, wants to hold on to his place after a spell on the bench behind Edinburgh's Mike Blair.

"Hopefully, I can put a bit more pressure on Mike this year and maybe get a few more starts," said Cusiter. "Mike played well on Saturday [in a 48-6 win over Romania]. He is a good player and I suppose it does push you on. But I was on the bench all last year and that is not where I want to be. It is tough for both of us."

Cusiter, 24, toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions in 2005, making a strong impression without winning a Test cap, and resisted interest from English clubs to remain in Scottish rugby this season, after a shoulder injury kept him out of the national side's summer tour to South Africa.

"I have been pleased with my form for the Borders this year," he said, "but I hear Mike has been playing well for Edinburgh too. You would have to ask Frank [Hadden, Scotland's coach] who he thinks is doing better. The Pacific Islanders should be a good test for the team, and give us a chance to see where we are. And the loose type of rugby they play should mean I get a bit of space to show what I can do.

"I thought Mike played exceptionally well last year, while I was perhaps a little bit off-form. In hindsight, maybe I did not take a long enough break after the Lions tour. I suppose I felt a bit jaded all year, so in some ways getting injured was a good thing, because it gave me the chance to get a rest. Mind you, I still got a bit depressed during the summer."

Murrayfield teams

Scotland

15 C Paterson Edinburgh, c

14 S Webster Edinburgh

13 M Di Rollo Edinburgh

12 A Henderson Glasgow

11 S Lamont Northampton

10 D Parks Glasgow

9 C Cusiter Borders

1 G Kerr Borders

2 D Hall Edinburgh

3 E Murray Glasgow

4 N Hines Perpignan

5 S Murray Edinburgh

6 S Taylor Edinburgh

7 K Brown Borders

8 J Beattie Glasgow

Replacements R Ford (Borders), A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), A Kellock (Glasgow), D Callam, M Blair, P Godman, H Southwell (all Edinburgh)

Pacific Islanders

15 N Ligairi Fiji

14 L Fa'atau Samoa

13 K Ratuvou Fiji

12 E Seveali'i Samoa

11 R Caucaunibuca Fiji

10 T Pisi Samoa

9 M Rauluni Fiji

1 T Felise Tonga

2 M Schwalger Samoa

3 T Taumoepeau Tonga

4 S Raiwalui Fiji, capt

5 D Leo Samoa

6 V Vaki Tonga

7 N Latu Tonga

8 E Taione Tonga

Replacements A Lutui (Tonga), J Va'a (Samoa), M Molitika (Tonga), S Sititi (Samoa), J Poluleuligaga (Samoa), S Bai (Fiji), S Rabeni (Fiji)

Referee B Lawrence (New Zealand)