CLARKSTON'S latest New Zealand guest, Scott Keith, is due to arrive in

Glasgow only on Saturday morning, but that is not too late for the South

Side club. The 25-year-old Wellington forward will be pitched into the

second-division league match against Peebles at Braidholm.

Not only will Keith be on the field little more than five hours after

he has stepped off the Shuttle from London, but he has also been named

as Clarkston's captain. He has led Wellington in the past three years,

and that has been strong enough commendation for Clarkston's selectors

to invite him to call the shots when Kenny Fairbairn, Clarkston's

elected captain, is injured.

Keith was at wing forward in the Wellington team who drew 16-all with

Scotland's tourists two years ago. However, his regular role for the

province has been No.8, and it will be from that position that he will

lead Clarkston into their return to the second division after six years'

absence.

He is not the only New Zealander in the XV. His fellow Kiwi, Erin

Cossey, will be back at stand-off, the position from which he did much

to help the club to take the runners-up spot behind Grangemouth in the

third division last season.

Cossey arrived back at Braidholm earlier this week, though not in time

to join in the last of Clarkston's work-outs under Allan Wells, the

former Olympic 100 metres champion. Clarkston had contracted Wells to

fly up from London on five Tuesdays to take the club's first XV through

a series of demanding fitness exercises.

Wells and his wife, Margot, have had notable rugby success with London

Scottish in the past two years. Their fitness programmes helped the

exiles to win promotion from the second division of the Courage Clubs'

championship this year, and it was that reputation that persuaded Brian

Williams, Clarkston's president, to invite Wells to Braidholm.

As Wells himself said, it was a challenge ''to add something

different'' to Clarkston's preparations, and though he acknowledged that

his time at Braidholm was short he has left a basis for Hugh Hamilton,

Clarkston's coach, to work on. Wells would be prepared to make the

occasional return visit even though his Braidholm contract ended on

Tuesday.

Not only has he given Clarkston the benefit of his expertise in

fitness training but he has also complimented the club on their

enterprise in seeking him out. ''I take my hat off to the club and

Brian,'' Wells remarked. ''They're looking way ahead of themselves.''

* SOUTH Korea scored 20 tries in beating Malaysia 135-3 in the Asian

championship in Seoul yesterday -- but still failed to make the final.

The Koreans were denied by Hong Kong, who had beaten them in the opening

game of the tournament. Hong Kong clinched their final slot yesterday

with a 51-13 victory over Thailand.

Japan and Taiwan meet today to decide the other finalists in the

eight-team competition.

The South Korean scoreline set a tournament record, bettering the

120-3 triumph of Japan over Singapore on Sunday.