Scotland ring the changes and make five alterations to face Wales

Scotland boss Gregor Townsend has made five changes to his starting XV for this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations round two match away to Wales in Cardiff. With blindside Jamie Ritchie having suffered damage in his hamstring and groin area and carted away in a buggy during last Saturday’s win over England, the Scots weren’t in a position to name the same team that held firm in a 20-17 Murrayfield nail-biter. 

Sam Skinner, a replacement last weekend, is promoted to the No6 jersey in place of the injured Ritchie, while four more players also make the jump from the replacements – including the entire front row.  

Props Pierre Schoeman and WP Nel will start alongside hooker Stuart McInally in place of the benched Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson and George Turner, while the sole change to the backline sees Sione Tuipulotu come in at inside centre for Samuel Johnson, who didn’t go the distance in round one. 

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Rather than take up Tuipulotu’s spot on the bench, Johnson misses out entirely as Cameron Redpath is named in the reserves. Another reserve, flanker Rory Darge, will make his debut for his country if he comes off the bench.

SCOTLAND (vs Wales, Saturday)
15. Stuart Hogg – Exeter Chiefs – (Captain) – 89 caps
14. Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby – 23 caps
13. Chris Harris – Gloucester Rugby – 32 caps
12. Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors – 2 caps
11. Duhan van der Merwe – Worcester Warriors – 14 caps
10. Finn Russell – Racing 92 – (Vice-Captain) – 59 caps
9. Ali Price – Glasgow Warriors – 47 caps
1. Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby – 5 caps
2. Stuart McInally – Edinburgh Rugby – 44 caps
3. WP Nel – Edinburgh Rugby – 44 caps
4. Jonny Gray – Exeter Chiefs – 65 caps
5. Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby – (Vice-Captain) – 49 caps
6. Sam Skinner – Exeter Chiefs – 16 caps
7. Hamish Watson – Edinburgh Rugby – 46 caps
8. Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 18 caps 

Replacements:
16. George Turner – Glasgow Warriors – 21 caps
17. Rory Sutherland – Worcester Warriors – 17 caps
18. Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors – 43 caps
19. Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby – 15 caps
20. Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors – Uncapped
21. Ben White – London Irish – 1 cap
22. Blair Kinghorn – Edinburgh Rugby – 28 caps
23. Cameron Redpath – Bath Rugby – 1 cap