Edinburgh Rugby captain Greig Laidlaw will start at stand-off against Wales in round two of the RBS 6 Nations championship at the Millenium Stadium this Sunday (kick-off 3pm).
The Borderer replaces the recently retired Dan Parks and is one of the club’s two introductions to the starting line-up, the other seeing tight-head prop Geoff Cross join fellow Edinburgh front-rowers Allan Jacobsen and Ross Ford in place of the unavailable Euan Murray.
Cross, who made his debut against Wales three years ago, is promoted from the bench and given the opportunity to display the form that has been such a part of Edinburgh’s run to the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.
On the bench, three uncapped players have been called-up: prop Ed Kalman and 20-year-old stand-off Duncan Weir take Laidlaw and Cross’ vacated places on the bench and 19-year-old full-back Stuart Hogg comes in for fellow Warrior Graeme Morrison.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “Congratulations to Greig [Laidlaw] on his first start. He's a gifted footballer who is acclimatising very well to the differing demands of the stand-off position from having spent most of his career at scrum-half.
“Having lost last weekend, I believe the time is right to move on and look to develop our emerging talent at stand-off.
“I’ve always stressed the importance of the A team and the part that both Duncan Weir and Stuart Hogg played in the game at Netherdale last week is another reason for my continued excitement and belief in Scottish rugby.”
Laidlaw, 26, nephew of another of Jed-Forest’s favourite sons, the former Scotland and Lions scrum-half, Roy Laidlaw, has also graduated from the ranks of Scotland A and Scotland 7s.
Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play Wales in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 12 February, kick-off 3pm
15 Rory Lamont (Glasgow Warriors)
14 Lee Jones (Edinburgh Rugby)
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby)
12 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)
11 Max Evans (Castres)
10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby)
9 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors)
1 Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN
3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby)
4 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
5 Jim Hamilton (Gloucester)
6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester)
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby)
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby)
Substitutes
16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester)
17 Ed Kalman (Glasgow Warriors)
18 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors)
19 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby)
21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
