Scotland welcome back Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn ahead of Wales match

Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Dave Cherry, Max Williamson and Matt Fagerson come into the side, while Josh Bayliss and Grant Gilchrist are added to the matchday 23 as replacements, bringing the total number of changes to seven.

The front row remains anchored by Nathan McBeth at loosehead and Zander Fagerson at tighthead, with Cherry returning at hooker. In the engine room, Williamson partners Scott Cummings, and Gregor Brown shifts to blindside flanker. Rory Darge continues at openside, with Matt Fagerson earning the number eight shirt after an influential display off the bench against England.

In the backs, Townsend has retained the half-back pairing of Ben White and Finn Russell. Captain Sione Tuipulotu lines up again alongside Huw Jones in midfield, while last week’s Guinness Player of the Match, Kyle Steyn, keeps his place on the right wing.

Elsewhere in the back three, Kinghorn slots in at fullback and van der Merwe starts on the left wing.

On the bench, Pierre Schoeman and Elliot Millar Mills provide prop cover, with George Turner named as replacement hooker. Gilchrist returns to offer experience in the second row, and Bayliss adds versatility across the back row. Tom Jordan, George Horne and Darcy Graham round out the squad as backline options.

15 Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (63)
14 Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (30)
13 Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (60)
12 Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (35) – Captain
11 Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (52)

10 Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (91) – Vice-captain
9 Ben White – Toulon (33)
1 Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (7)
2 Dave Cherry – Vannes (17)
3 Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (78)
4 Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (11)
5 Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (47)
6 Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (14)
7 Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (36) – Vice-captain
8 Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (61)

16 George Turner – Harlequins (52)
17 Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (46)
18 Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (13)
19 Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (85)
20 Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (14)
21 George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (42)
22 Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (14)
23 Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (52)