Saracens centre Duncan Taylor will make only his fifth start for Scotland as the only change in Vern Cotter’s starting XV for the second RBS 6 Nations match against Wa;les in Cardiff on Saturday.
The 26-year-old replaces Matt Scott, who injured a quad muscle in training yesterday, and is promoted from the bench from where he won his 14th cap against England in the 15-9 defeat last weekend.
A succession of injuries over the last two years has curtailed Taylor’s involvement with Scotland, but a clear run and some oustanding form for the Aviva Premiership league leaders won him a recall for this campaign.
The Scots probably would have been unchanged but for Scott’s training injury, showing Cotter’s belief that they are close to ending the current run of eight successive losses in the Six Nations.
Taylor’s place on the bench is taken by Sean Lamont, who stands to win his 102nd cap, second behind Chris Paterson’s record of 109 appearances for Scotland.
Wales have named an unchanged team from the team that drew 16-16 in Dublin with stand-off Dan Biggar recovering from an ankle sprain.
The Scots have agreed to close the roof of Principality Stadium for Saturday’s evening’s match with heavy rain and wind forecast in Cardiff that day.
Team: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow); Sean Maitland (London Irish), Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow); Finn Russell (Glasgow), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt); Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), WP Nel (Edinburgh); Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres); John Barclay (Scarlets), John Hardie (Edinburgh), David Denton (Bath).
Replacements: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Tim Swinson (Glasgow), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Duncan Weir (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Glasgow).