Hodge recalled to face England

Scotland coach Ian McGeechan will attempt to recreate the Calcutta Cup victory over England two years ago after recalling Duncan Hodge.

The Edinburgh Gunners' man will take up his position as outhalf and goal-kicker for the Scots at Murrayfield on Saturday in their opening Six Nations game.

Hodge scored all the Scotland points in the 19-13 victory which denied England and coach Clive Woodward the grand slam in 2000. Gregor Townsend comes in at centre in place of the injured John Leslie.

McGeechan believes Hodge has now found the consistency necessary.

"We have been working the two combinations with both Duncan and Gregor Townsend at ten so it has been straightforward.

"Duncan has been playing well and Gregor's experience in the middle gives us something else.

"We have got two distributors and decision makers in there. The backs are interchangeable in what they can do and that creates a different strength for us."

SCOTLAND (v England): G Metcalfe (Glasgow), B Laney (Edinburgh), J McLaren (Glasgow), G Townsend (Castes), C Paterson (Edinburgh), D Hodge (Edinburgh), B Redpath (Sale), T Smith (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow), M Stewart (Northampton), S Murray (Saracens), S Grimes (Newcastle), J White (Glasgow), S Taylor (Edinburgh), B Pountney (Northampton, Captain). Replacements: R Russell (Saracens), G Graham (Newcastle), M Leslie (Edinburgh), J Petrie (Glasgow), A Nicol (Glasgow), A Henderson (Glasgow), J Steel (Glasgow).

ITALY (v France): P Vaccari, D Dallan, L Martin, C Stoica, R Pedrazzi, D Dominguez, A Troncon; M Phillips, M Bortolami, M Bergamasco, S Dellape, C Checchinato, A Muraro, A Moscardi (Cap), A Lo Cicero. Reserves: G De Carli, A Moreno, M Giacheri, A Persico, JM Queirolo, R Pez, M Bergamasco.