Nel gets bench role for Scotland
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Zander Fagerson has been recalled to Scotland’s starting side for their Six Nations match at home to Wales on Saturday.
The return of the Glasgow prop is the only change to the run-on XV that launched Scotland’s tournament with a thrilling 29-23 win away to England last weekend.
Fagerson, out for more than two months with a hamstring injury, replaced WP Nel in the team announced by coach Gregor Townsend on Thursday.
Nel drops to the bench, with Simon Berghan, among the replacements at Twickenham, omitted entirely from the matchday 23.
There is still no place for Hamish Watson.
The flank was concussed while playing against New Zealand in November but returned to action with club side Edinburgh late last month.
Townsend has kept faith with a back row of No.8 Matt Fagerson, openside flank Luke Crosbie and captain Jamie Ritchie.
Duhan van der Merwe, after his two tries at Twickenham – a brilliant solo effort followed by a match-winning score – again lines up alongside fullback Stuart Hogg and fellow wing Kyle Steyn in the back three.
Scotland are bidding to record wins in the opening two rounds of the tournament for the first time since 1996 – when the Championship was still the Five Nations.
They have narrowly lost to Wales on the second week in each of the past two years.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 WP Nel, 19 Jonny Gray, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 George Horne, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Chris Harris.
Date: Saturday, February 11:
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 16.45 (16.45 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Frank Murphy (Ireland), Chris Busby (Ireland)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
