Duncan Taylor will have the key role of toughening Scotland’s midfield defence as the oft-injured centre is the major inclusion in the side to take on Ireland in the Rugby World Cup opener in Yokohama on Sunday.
The Saracens centre missed all of last season with a knee injury and has played just 130 minutes of international rugby in warm-up games against France and Georgia last month, but was always going to be a key man for Gregor Townsend if he was fit.
Townsend has stuck with tried and tested players but there are a few small surprises among his 23 to take on the Irish.
Tommy Seymour keeps his place under pressure from Darcy Graham on the wing, while Ryan Wilson is preferred to Blade Thomson to start the match at No 8.
In the replacements, Simon Berghan, Scott Cummings and Chris Harris get bench spots ahead of Zander Fagerson, Ben Toolis and Pete Horne.
Stuart McInally will caotain from hooker and Fraser Brown – who has not played since being injured in the PRO14 final in Glasgow in April – will be the back-up.
Head coach Townsend said: “We’ve had a really productive week’s preparation in Nagasaki ahead of our arrival in Tokyo, with our players adapting to the time zone and weather conditions out here in Japan.
“As we’ve got closer to the game our training has been more about fine-tuning the hard work that’s gone in over pre-season into a focus for Sunday’s game.
“Our team has a lot of experience playing together in major games for Scotland, with a bench capable of making a difference when required.
“That cohesion, experience and leadership is very valuable in a build-up to a match of this magnitude as well as during the 80 minutes on Sunday.”
Ireland have been forced to make big changes in their back division, as both Keith Earls and Rob Kearney were ruled out with injury yesterday to follow Robbie Henshaw’s already confirmed absence.
Jordan Larmour will start at full-back, Andrew Conway on the wing while Garry Ringrose takes Henshaw’s spot at outside centre.
Ireland’s head coach Joe Schmidt thinks it will be a close game.
“I don’t think there is a huge amount between the two teams, so whoever does get the bounce of the ball or is just a little but more efficient than the other, will tip the balance,” he said at the team announcement in Yokohama.
Scotland team Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs); Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) , Sean Maitland (Saracens); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne); Allan Dell (London Irish), Stuart McInally (capt, Edinburgh), Willem Nel (Edinburgh); Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors); John Barclay (Edinburgh), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls), Simon Berghan (Edinburgh), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) , Blade Thomson (Scarlets), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Harris (Gloucester), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh)
Ireland: J Larmour; A Conway, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong; I Henderson, J Ryan; P O’Mahony, J van der Flier, CJ Stander. Replacements: R Scannell, D Kilcoyne, W Porter, T Beirne, J Conan, L McGrath, J Carty, C Farrell.