Blair Kinghorn has been ruled out of Scotland’s first two Six Nations matches with a knee injury, paving the way for Kyle Rowe to make his first international start at full-back in Saturday’s opener in Wales.
The Toulouse number 15 becomes the second member of Scotland’s first-choice back three to be ruled out of the match in Cardiff and the following weekend’s visit from France, with free-scoring Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham also absent due to quad tightness.
Rowe’s only previous cap came away to Argentina in July 2022 when he came on as a substitute and lasted only 10 minutes before damaging his ACL, resulting in him being sidelined for most of the following year.
The 25-year-old has been in good form for Glasgow this term, scoring seven tries, including three in his last two outings before meeting up with the national team.
Kyle Steyn, who recently returned after three months out, and Duhan van der Merwe will start on the wings.
Recently-appointed co-captain Rory Darge has not recovered from a knee injury in time to feature so stand-off Finn Russell will skipper the side.
Previous skipper Jamie Ritchie, who lost the role last month, has been named as one of this weekend’s vice-captains and will start in the back-row alongside Matt Fagerson and Luke Crosbie, with Jack Dempsey – the first-choice number eight for most of last year – on the bench.
Ben White, Scotland’s preferred scrum-half for the majority of last year, is restored to the number-nine jersey after Ali Price took his place in the starting XV for the last two matches of the World Cup against Romania and Ireland.
Glasgow lock Scott Cummings starts in place of his suspended Edinburgh counterpart Grant Gilchrist.
Props Elliot Millar-Mills and Alec Hepburn – who was capped six times by England in 2018 – are both in line to make their Scotland debuts off the bench.
However, there is no place in the 23 for in-form Saracens back-rower Andy Christie who had been touted as a potential starter.
The Scots are eyeing a first victory in Cardiff for 22 years.
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 1, 2024
Scotland team to play Wales in Six Nations
Forwards: 1 Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), 2 George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), 3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), 4 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), 5 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), 6 Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby), 7 Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby), 8 Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Backs: 9 Ben White (Toulon), 10 Finn Russell (CAPTAIN, Bath Rugby), 11 Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), 12 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), 13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), 14 Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), 15 Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors)
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby), 17 Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), 18 Elliot Millar-Mills (Northampton Saints), 19 Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby), 20 Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors), 21 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), 22 Ben Healy (Edinburgh Rugby), 23 Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby)