Head Coach Vern Cotter today named one change to the Scotland team to start against Wales in Cardiff this Saturday (13 February, kick-off 16:50 UK Time, 18:50 SA Time)

Both teams go into the match seeking their 1st win of the 2016 campaign, after the Scot’s home loss to England (15 / 9), and Wales’ 16 / 16 draw with Ireland in Dublin.

The selection of 26-year-old Saracens centre Duncan Taylor in midfield is 1 of 2 changes to the 23-man squad – promoted from the bench to partner Mark Bennett after Matt Scott injured his quad in training yesterday – with Sean Lamont taking the vacated place among the replacements.

The match will be Taylor’s 5th start in 14 caps for Scotland, and his 1st since the 2014 summer tour win over USA (24 / 6), with an untimely succession of injuries curtailing his involvement for the national team over the past 2 seasons.

Despite missing out on international opportunities, Taylor has excelled for his club side, building on their English Premiership title success last season with stirring performances in the current campaign.

All else is unchanged for the men in dark blue meaning Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour make up the back 3, with the backs completed by Finn Russell and captain Greig Laidlaw.

The unchanged pack will again see John Barclay, John Hardie and David Denton in the loose forwards, and brothers Jonny and Richie Gray at lock, behind the all-Edinburgh front-row of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel.

Scotland Head Coach, Vern Cotter, said: “This group have worked exceptionally hard this week to improve their accuracy under pressure after a frustrating opening game against England.

“We created opportunities that could have been capitalised upon, and converted into points.

“As a team we know we can perform better and believe we’re capable of making improvements all over the park.

“We know that Wales in Cardiff will not be easy but our focus is on improving our attacking and defensive mindset.”

Scotland:

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 39 caps; 9 tries, 2 pens, 51 points
14 Sean Maitland (London Irish) – 21 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
13 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps, 6 tries, 30 points
12 Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 13 caps
11 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 23 caps; 11 tries, 55 points
10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps, 2 tries, 3 cons, 1 pen, 19 points
9 Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester) CAPTAIN – 47 caps, 4 tries, 57 cons, 107 pens, 455 points

1 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh) – 53 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh) – 95 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
3 WP Nel (Edinburgh) – 9 caps, 1 try, 5 points
4 Richie Gray (Castres) – 52 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps, 1 try, 5 points
6 John Barclay (Scarlets) – 46 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
7 John Hardie (Edinburgh) – 6 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
8 David Denton (Bath) – 33 caps

Replacements:
16 Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) – 3 caps
17 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
18 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps
20 Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 16 caps, 2 tries, 10 points
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh) – 8 caps
22 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps, 2 tries, 6 cons, 10 pens, 1 drop, 55 points
23 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 101 caps, 14 tries, 70 points

Unavailable through injury: Adam Ashe (shoulder), Fraser Brown (ankle), Alex Dunbar (posterior thigh), Grant Gilchrist (groin), Henry Pyrgos (wrist), Peter Horne (foot), Matt Scott (quad), Richie Vernon (Shoulder), Tim Visser (hamstring).

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