Euan Murray will return to the Scotland front row for Saturday’s crucial Six Nations clash with Italy. The Northampton prop missed the opening two matches of this year’s tournament against Wales and France with a rib injury.
But he came through 80 minutes of his club’s Guinness Premiership defeat at Wasps on Sunday unscathed.
There was also a recall for Glasgow captain Alastair Kellock, who will make his first Test start for two years due to a shoulder injury to Edinburgh lock Jim Hamilton.
Murray and Kellock are the only two changes from the side beaten 22-13 in France just over a week ago, Scotland’s second straight defeat in this season’s tournament.
Alasdair Dickinson, who started at tighthead in Paris, drops to the bench, replacing fellow prop Moray Low.
Head coach Frank Hadden said: “We took a bold approach to selection last week and performed bravely in Paris. The approach to this game remains the same.
“We are delighted to recall Euan Murray and bring someone as experienced as Al Kellock in to replace Jim Hamilton.”
Scotland(v Italy): H Southwell (Edinburgh); S Danielli (Ulster), M Evans (Glasgow), G Morrison (Glasgow), T Evans (Glasgow); P Godman (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh, capt); A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), J White (Sale), A Kellock (Glasgow), A Strockosch (Gloucester), J Barclay (Glasgow), S Taylor (Stade Francais). Replacements: D Hall (Glasgow), A Dickinson (Gloucester), K Brown (Glasgow), S Gray (Northampton), C Cusiter (Perpignan), C Paterson (Edinburgh), N De Luca (Edinburgh).
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