Scotland will blood all four of the players not yet involved in Rugby World Cup action – including new arrival Blair Cowan – as Vern Cotter continues to rotate his squad for Saturday’s big meeting with South Africa in Newcastle.
Cowan comes straight into the starting team with John Hardie still undergoing return-to-play protocols following a concussion, while Gordon Reid and former Dundee HSFP player Richie Vernon both start their first games of the campaign. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, also not in the matchday squad for the first two games, is on the bench.
There are 11 changes and one further positional from the team that defeated the USA in Leeds last Sunday, with only one enforced, Finn Russell’s injured ankle requiring Duncan Weir to start at stand-off. Only Stuart Hogg – seemingly set to play all four pool games – Tim Visser, Richie Gray and Josh Strauss, who switches from No 8 to blindside with David Denton returning, are retained from the starting XV at Elland Road.
Ross Ford and Alasdair Dickinson both move to the bench with Ryan Wilson and Peter Horne. Veteran wing Sean Lamont can win his 99th cap if he gets on as a replacement.
Scotland will ensure qualification for the last eight if they can beat South Africa away from Murrayfield for the first time since 1906.
Scotland team: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tim Visser (Harlequins), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt); Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby); Richie Gray (Castres), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors); Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby).
Replacements: Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby), Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors).