Pittodrie will hosts Scotland's autumn Test against Samoa

Scotland's autumn Test against Samoa will be played at Aberdeen Football Club's Pittodrie stadium.

Andy Robinson's men face South Africa and New Zealand at Murrayfield before ending their series against the Samoans on Saturday 27 November.

"It's wonderful news," said Scotland's joint-captain Chris Cusiter.

"One of the best things about taking international rugby to the North East is the interest in the game that being there generates."

The Scots face the All Blacks at Murrayfield on 13 November before facing South Africa at the same venue seven days later.

Aberdeen-born Cusiter missed Scotland's first match at Pittodrie, the historic win over the Barbarians in 2005, because he was on Lions duty.

And the scrum half also missed out on the other occasion the city hosted the national side, when the Scots crushed Canada 41-0 in 2008.

Our next focus is to continue to improve and that starts with our opening game in the autumn against New Zealand Scotland head coach Andy Robinson

"I'm hoping to get on the park myself this time," said Cusiter.

"I know from speaking to people who help coach youngsters in the area that they saw a surge of interest and growth in participation when Scotland were here before, and that has to be our aim this time too."

Robinson's men are aiming to build on the momentum generated by their first series victory in the southern hemisphere, when they secured a 2-0 win over Argentina earlier this summer.

"What better opposition for us to open our new campaign than New Zealand," the head coach said.

"They've been playing some exhilarating rugby this summer, especially in the Tri-Nations games against South Africa and Australia, and it's well-documented that Scotland have never beaten New Zealand.

"Yet we made history in the summer in Argentina and our next focus is to continue to improve and that starts with our opening game in the autumn against New Zealand."

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