Cipriani to start at fullback

Scotland v England team news: Danny Cipriani will make his first Test start when England tackle Six Nations Championship opponents Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Cipriani has been handed the full-back role instead of Gloucester's Iain Balshaw, who drops to replacement duty.

The 20-year-old has been playing outhalf for Wasps with considerable success, but Jonny Wilkinson retains the England number 10 shirt. Cipriani's two previous England appearances both came during the current Six Nations campaign as a substitute against Wales and Italy.

England head coach Brian Ashton makes two other changes from the side that beat France 24-13 in Paris 10 days ago.

Bath hooker Lee Mears is preferred to Bristol veteran Mark Regan, who misses out completely, with Leicester forward George Chuter providing bench cover.

Ashton's decision could signal the end for 36-year-old Regan as an international player after 46 caps during a Test career that started more than 12 years ago.

The other switch is enforced, as Leicester flanker Tom Croft takes over from Wasps' James Haskell. Haskell suffered an ankle injury during the France clash and was replaced by 6ft 5in Croft barely 20 minutes into the game.

England are still in the Six Nations title shake-up, but their points difference is vastly inferior to current leaders Wales.

Realistically, they need victory over Scotland - and by a sizeable margin - to remain in the hunt ahead of meeting Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday week.

Scotland have recalled number eight Simon Taylor for the Calcutta Cup clash - but there is no place for Scott Murray in Frank Hadden's matchday squad.

Taylor, 28, will make his first appearance since the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina after recovering from a hand injury.

The exclusion of Murray from the 22-man squad comes as a surprise, with the 87-cap lock's recall earlier in the week expected to see him handed at least a place on the bench.

Stade Francais back-row forward Taylor replaces Kelly Brown who drops to the bench, and Hadden has shown belief in his team by making just one further change, as Graeme Morrison replaces Glasgow Warriors team-mate Andy Henderson at inside centre.

Scotland have lost all three of their matches in the Six Nations this season, slumping to defeats against France, Wales and Ireland.

Head coach Hadden expects Taylor, who will win his 59th cap, to strengthen the side. Hadden said: "Simon Taylor has played well in the three games for his club since recovering from a hand injury and he is now ready to return to the national side.

"Graeme Morrison is being rewarded for his outstanding performances for the Scotland A team, away in Italy and then against Ireland A at Perth."

The captaincy remains with scrum-half Mike Blair, however regular skipper Jason White should be involved at some stage. He is named on the bench after recovering from a head injury.

Scotland: H Southwell (Edinburgh); R Lamont (Sale Sharks), S Webster (Edinburgh), G Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), N Walker (Ospreys); C Paterson (Gloucester), M Blair (Edinburgh, captain); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton Saints), N Hines (Perpignan), S MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), A Strokosch (Gloucester), S Taylor (Stade Francais), A Hogg (Edinburgh). Replacements: F Thomson (Glasgow Warriors), A Dickinson (Gloucester), C Smith (Edinburgh), J White (Sale Sharks), K Brown (Glasgow Warriors), R Lawson (Gloucester), D Parks (Glasgow Warriors).

England: D Cipriani (Wasps); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), T Flood (Newcastle), L Vainikolo (Gloucester); J Wilkinson (Newcastle), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks); A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), L Mears (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps, capt), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), T Croft (Leicester), M Lipman (Bath), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), M Stevens (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), P Hodgson (London Irish), M Tait (Newcastle), I Balshaw (Gloucester).