SCOTLAND coach Frank Hadden reckons the professional game in Scotland IS working and hopes the proof will be evident in Paris on Saturday.

Hadden is adamant that Edinburgh and the Borders' performances in the Heineken League and Glasgow Warriors reaching the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup shows the pro format has been of benefit.

"The first time I went to France was for a Heineken Cup match many years ago with the Caledonia Reds, and after 10 minutes I felt like throwing the towel in because the gap between the two sides was so enormous," he said. "Since the advent of professional rugby we have closed that gap.

"I'm not denying that this is an enormous challenge for us, the French are a very good side. But we have made progress and go over there not just expecting a good performance, but believing we can win."

Hadden has brought in five new players for the match and made two positional changes.

Glasgow back row Johnny Beattie is in at No.8, with club-mate Andy Henderson plus Rory Lawson, Ross Ford and Nikki Walker all in the starting XV.

Les Bleus go into the final round of matches level on six points with both England and Ireland after four games.

With the English having an inferior points difference, it's a shoot-out between France and the Irish, who play Italy.

Kick-offs: Italy v Ireland 1.30pm; France v Scotland 3.30; Wales v England 5.30pm.

SCOTLAND: C Paterson, S Lamont, R Dewey, A Henderson, N Walker, D Parks, R Lawson; G Kerr, R Ford, E Murray, N Hines, S Murray, S Taylor, J Beattie, K Brown. Subs: D Hall, A Jacobsen, A Hogg, M Di Rollo, R Lamont, J Hamilton, C Cusiter.