Scotland set for Six Nations showdown with Wales

Ffion Lewis scored a 75th minute try which saw Wales edge Scotland 24-19 in last year's Six Nations

Scotland have named an unchanged squad as they look to bounce back from a heavy defeat against England.

The experienced Sioned Harries is back for the visitors with Gwen Crabb ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a serious knee injury.

Harries comes in at number eight with Bethan Lewis switching to flanker and Georgia Evans to lock.

Fellow second row Natalia John and hooker Carys Phillips have both been passed fit to take up a place on Wales' replacements bench while Scotland remain without Sarah Bonar, Jade Konkel-Roberts and Emma Wassell.

Both teams have also lost players to the GB Sevens programme, with Scotland's Lisa Thomson, Shona Campbell and Rhona Lloyd joining Wales' Jasmine Joyce in Hong Kong this weekend on the World Sevens Series.

Wales scrum-half Keira Bevan will win her 50th cap in Edinburgh, a player Scotland will remember well having kicked Wales to victory with a last-gasp penalty at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in October.

While Bevan's replacement, Ffion Lewis, broke Scottish hearts with a comeback try which claimed victory for Wales in the two side's meeting at Cardiff Arms Park last year.

Scotland will be hoping to end their 10-match losing streak on Saturday, while Wales will be looking to back up their convincing win over the Irish before the tournament breaks for a week.

• A different Scotland will take to the field against Wales - Skeldon
• Wales won't get carried away - Harries

Bryan Easson (left) and Ioan Cunningham (right)

View from both camps

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson said: "We've trained hard since the World Cup, but until you've got a reference point you don't really understand where we are, and I think this weekend will show us exactly where we are.

"We've not really concentrated much on Wales this week, we've reviewed our game, we've looked at ourselves 80 per cent, 20 per cent Wales, we've played them enough, we know what to expect.

"It's always a bit of a spicy encounter Scotland Wales."

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said: "I'm looking to grow that trust and give them an opportunity to go back on the field in a different environment.

"It will be a tough challenge up in Scotland against a strong side, we'll see how we get on after last week's game and see how we've grown as a squad.

"I'm sure they are talking about that game in the World Cup, talking about last season in the Six Nations and also they are the home side.

"We're not expecting a warm welcome but we have to concentrate on the task, focus on what we have to do and make sure we build on last week's performance."

Line ups

Scotland: C Rollie, C Grant, E Orr, M Smith, F McGhie, H Nelson, C Mattinson; L Bartlett, L Skeldon, C Belisle, L O'Donnell, L McMillan, R Malcolm, R McLachlan, E Gallagher.

Replacements: J Rettie, A Young, E Clarke, E Donaldson, E Sinclair, M McDonald, B Blacklock, L Musgrove.

Wales: C Keight; L Neumann, H Jones (capt), K Lake, C Williams-Morris; E Snowsill, K Bevan; G Pyrs, K Jones, S Tuipulotu, A Fleming, G Evans, B Lewis, A Callender, S Harries.

Replacements: C Phillips, C Hope, C Hale, N John, K Williams, F Lewis, L George, H Bluck.

Match facts

Head to head

• Wales have won 14 of their last 16 Six Nations matches against Scotland, although their two defeats in that run both came in their last three trips to Scotland.
• Each of the last five Championship games between Scotland and Wales have been decided by margins of just seven points or fewer, including two by a single point.

Scotland

• Scotland have won just one of their last 18 games in the Six Nations (D1 L16) and have lost each of their last six, however, three of those six losses came by margins of just a converted try or less.
• Scotland have won just one of their last 11 home games in the Six Nations (D1 L9).

• Scotland had the highest carry dominance rate of any side in the opening round against England (50%) and also opted to exit their own 22 via carries more frequently than any other side last time out (67%).

Wales

• Wales won their opening match of the Six Nations (31-5 v Ireland) after losing their last three of the 2022 campaign; they will be aiming to win their opening two matches of the campaign for the first time since 2015 (v England and Scotland).
• Wales have won just two of their last 13 away matches in the Six Nations (D1 L10), however, one of those wins came in their first away game of last year's Championship (27-19 v Ireland).

• Wales recorded a tackle success rate of 92% in the opening round against Ireland, the highest rate of any team last time out and their highest in the Championship since registering 94% against Scotland last year.

Match officials

Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)

Assistants: Beatrice Benvenuti & Maria Pacifico (Italy)

TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)