Saracens centre Duncan Taylor and Glasgow back rower Ryan Wilson – currently facing assault charges – are the surprise choices of head coach Scott Johnson for Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland on Sunday.
Taylor plays at inside centre with the coaching team not prepared to gamble on the match fitness of Matt Scott, who has not played since breaking his hand in the opening Autumn International against Japan. Scott is on the bench but there’s no place there for Alasdair Strokosch, with Wilson – normally a No 8 for Glasgow – chosen at blindside.
The 24-year-old, who was born in Aldershot but qualified for Scotland through his maternal grandfather, has won four caps but only has one previous start. He has pending assault charges relating to an incident in a Glasgow takeaway restaurant in October.
Taylor started the two Autumn Internationals against South Africa and Australia having made his debut in the summer against Samoa. He was born in Northampton but both his parents are Scottish.
Duncan Weir has got the crucial stand-off role – with rival Ruiradh Jackson not even on the bench – while Tim Swinson is preferred in the second row to British Lion Richie Gray, who is among the replacements with Johnnie Beattie.
There are four changes in all from the team that lost to Australia in the final test of the Autumn, Glasgow’s Stuart Hogg and Alex Dunbar returning to side after injury.
Team: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow); Sean Maitland (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Sean Lamont (Glasgow); Duncan Weir (Glasgow), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh); Ryan Grant (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Moray Low (Glasgow); Tim Swinson (Glasgow), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier); Ryan Wilson (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Saracens, capt), David Denton (Edinburgh).
Replacements: Pat MacArthur (Glasgow), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Richie Gray (Castres), Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Max Evans (Castres).