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By Clive Lindsay
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Autumn internationals - Scotland v Argentina
Venue: Murrayfield Stadium Date: Saturday, 28 November Kick-off: 1430 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC ONE and online, full commentary on BBC Radio Scotland and online, live text commentary online and score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live
Two years are a long time in rugby and Scotland face Argentina at Murrayfield on Saturday hoping to rubber stamp a change in their respective fortunes.
The Pumas' 2007 World Cup finals win was followed by a further decline in Scotland's standing in the game.
But the once-feared Argentines arrive in Scotland on the back of tour defeats by Wales and England.
The Scots, meanwhile, are looking for their third win in a row since Andy Robinson took over as coach.
Both of those have come against teams placed higher in the world rankings - Fiji and Australia.
Failure to beat an under-strength Fiji would have been seen as a poor start for Robinson and the eventual, workmanlike victory allowed the Scots to leapfrog their opponents into ninth spot.
Last weekend's 9-8 victory over Australia - their first in 27 years - was a largely backs-to-the-wall affair and could have been turned into a defeat had Matt Giteau not missed a last-gasp conversion attempt.
 Cusiter has survived an injury scare to start against Argentina
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And, only by following that with a win over an Argentina side one place above them in the rankings, will Robinson be able to truly say that the tide has turned.
While the visitors are missing some of their star names, they have won seven of the nine meetings between the sides and it is 1990 since the Scots won against the South Americans on home soil.
The Scots emerged triumphant on their last meeting, by 26-14 in Rosario last year, when they avenged a 21-15 reverse in the first of two Tests in Argentina.
Now all Scotland expects Chris Cusiter to become the first man to captain the national side to a hat-trick of November Test victories since 2002 - and the first to lead a Scottish team to three victories in a row over higher-ranked sides.
Cusiter had been a doubt after being forced off after 20 minutes against Australia with concussion following two crucial tackles, but he has been given the all-clear by the team doctor.
That was an important call, with co-captain and fellow scrum-half Mike Blair being ruled out through injury.
Rory Lawson, who nevertheless proved an able deputy after playing for an hour in the triumph over the Wallabies, retains his place on the bench.
Alan MacDonald will win his first cap at openside flanker, with Ben Cairns coming in at outside centre and Thom Evans on the left wing.
John Barclay, Simon Danielli and Graeme Morrison drop out, with Alex Grove moving to inside centre to make way for Cairns, as Robinson assesses his options and tests the depth of his squad.
The coach said: "We do have competition for places. Australia was a very physical international and that is now history.
"This selection is about the management of our squad and giving players that performed in the A team an opportunity to deliver a win for Scotland."
Argentina's 19-13 victory over Scotland at the Stade de France in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final signalled the end of progress made under Robinson's predecessor, Frank Hadden.
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Despite beating England to regain the Calcutta Cup, the Scots lost their other Six Nations games last year and only avoided the wooden spoon on points difference.
Last year's victory in Argentina also proved a false dawn, with Hadden departing the scene after a second successive Six Nations campaign with just one victory.
Now the Argentines arrive looking to end another Scottish revival, smarting from two defeats in the UK and hoping that six changes to their line-up will change their own fortunes.
Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza and London Irish scrum-half Alfredo Lalanne replace Rodrigo Roncero and Agustin Figuerloa respectively after the 33-16 loss to Wales, which followed a 16-9 defeat by England.
Hooker Alberto Vernet Basualdo gets the nod ahead of Mario Ledesma, while Manuel Carizza is at lock instead of Mariano Sambucetti.
Tomas Leonardi loses his place at flanker to Alejandro Campos and Federico Martin Aramburu replaces Mauro Comuzzi on the wing.
Cusiter said: "I think they will persevere with their game plan. They do like to play a little bit of rugby and, around that, they have their strong set-pieces and are very aggressive in the contact area.
"We don't want to get into an arm wrestle with them because they are very strong."
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