Seven selected for Wales test

• 9 Feb 2023
• News

Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend has named seven Edinburgh Rugby players in his squad to face Wales at BT Murrayfield in the Guinness Six Nations this Saturday (11 February, kick-off 4.45pm) - live on BBC

Winger Duhan van der Merwe, prop Pierre Schoeman, lock Grant Gilchrist and back-row duo Luke Crosbie and Jamie Ritchie all once again start, as WP Nel and Blair Kinghorn take their place among the replacements.

The team selection includes one change to side that claimed a famous Calcutta Cup victory at Twickenham last weekend.

Zander Fagerson returns to the front row having missed out on last weekend’s opening win over England at Twickenham, with Nel moving to the replacements’ bench.

54-cap Fagerson will form a front row also containing Schoeman and hooker George Turner.

Vice-captain Gilchrist again partners Richie Gray in the second row, with Matt Fagerson packing down at the base of the scrum, flanked by captain Ritchie and clubmate Crosbie.

In the backs, double Calcutta Cup try-scoring winger Van der Merwe is joined in the back three by Kyle Steyn and Stuart Hogg, who continues at full-back.

Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, who scored the opening try against England in round one, continue their centre partnership, with Finn Russell and Ben White – also a try scorer last weekend – resuming their half-back roles.

Aside from Nel, the replacements also remain unchanged, with Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, Jonny Gray and Jack Dempsey in line to bolster the forwards when required and George Horne, Kinghorn and Chris Harris likewise for the back division.

Scotland team to face Wales in the Guinness Six Nations at BT Murrayfield
Saturday 11 February (kick-off 4.45pm) – live on BBC

15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 97 caps

14. Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 6 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 32 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 24 caps

10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) 66 caps
9. Ben White (London Irish) 10 caps

1. Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 17 caps
2. George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps
3. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 54 caps
4. Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 70 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – Vice Captain – 60 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – Captain – 37 caps
7. Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 3 caps
8. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 29 caps

Replacements

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 58 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 26 caps
18. WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 51 caps
19. Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs) 73 caps
20. Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 19 caps
22. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 39 caps
23. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 39 caps