SCOTLAND coach Vern Cotter has been forced to make one change to his starting line-up to play Wales on Saturday, bringing in Duncan Taylor at centre for the injured Matt Scott. Sean Lamont, who was on standby to replace Taylor on the bench last week had the Saracens back failed a fitness test, comes on to the bench.
As expected, Cotter has resisted the temptation to make voluntary changes to the team that began last Saturday’s 15-9 defeat by England. There was speculation that he would bring Blair Cowan into the back row at blindside in place of John Barclay, but Cowan remains on the bench.
Wales stand-off Dan Biggar has recovered from the ankle injury he picked up in Sunday's 18-18 draw with Ireland, so retains his No 10 jersey in an unchanged home line-up.
Scotland (v Wales, Saturday, 4.50pm): S Hogg (Glasgow); S Maitland (London Irish), M Bennett (Glasgow), D Taylor (Saracens), T Seymour; F Russell (both Glasgow), G Laidlaw (Gloucester); A Dickinson, R Ford, W Nel (all Edinburgh), R Gray (Castres), J Gray (Glasgow), J Barclay (Scarlets), J Hardie (Edinburgh), D Denton (Bath). Substitutes: S McInally (Edinburgh), G Reid, Z Fagerson, T Swinson (all Glasgow), B Cowan (London Irish), S Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), D Weir, S Lamont (both Glasgow).
Wales: L Williams (Scarlets); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Clermont), J Roberts (Harlequins), T James (Cardiff Blues); D Biggar (Ospreys), G Davies; R Evans (both Scarlets), S Baldwin (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), L Charteris (Racing 92), A Wyn Jones (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Substitutes: K Owens (Scarlets), G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), T Francis (Exeter Chiefs), B Davies (Wasps), D Lydiate (Ospreys), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), R Priestland (Bath), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues).
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