Townsend bolsters Scots midfield

Gregor Townsend: Will claim his 50th cap

Fly-half Gregor Townsend is moved to the centre as Scotland continue their search for a winning formula against Wales on Saturday.

Scotland have yet to win in the Six Nations and they are hoping to open their account at the Millennium Stadium with the lethal-sounding combination of Townsend and captain John Leslie in the midfield.

Edinburgh Reivers stand-off Duncan Hodge is called into the fly-half berth for his first international appearance since breaking his leg in the corresponding fixture at Murrayfield last year.

A return to the centres may not be the way Townsend had envisaged claiming his 50th cap, but in the current climate of chop-and-change, he will probably consider himself lucky to be in the side at all.

By contrast, Northampton wing Craig Moir will have his debut in the cauldron of Cardiff as coach Ian McGeechan makes three changes - including Moir and lock Stuart Grimes - to the side that lost to France two weeks ago.

Stalwart Kenny Logan has been dropped from the wing following a series of indifferent performances.

Glenn Metcalfe moves across to the left wing to make way for Moir, while second row Doddie Weir drops down to the bench in favour of Grimes.

Steve Brotherstone retains his place as hooker, despite the inclusion in the squad of Gordon Bulloch.

Team

C Paterson (Edinburgh Reivers); C Moir (Northampton), G Townsend (Brive), J Leslie (Newcastle, capt), G Metcalfe (Glasgow); D Hodge (Edinburgh Reivers), A Nicol (Glasgow Caledonians); T Smith (Brive), S Brotherstone (Brive), M Stewart (Northampton), S Murray (Saracens), S Grimes (Newcastle), M Leslie (Edinburgh Reivers), B Pountney (Northampton), S Reid (Narbonne).

Replacements: G Bulloch (Glasgow Caledonians), D Hilton (Glasgow Caledonians), D Weir (Newcastle), C Mather (Edinburgh Reivers), B Redpath (Narbonne), J McLaren (Bourgoin), A Bulloch (Glasgow Caledonians).