Matt Sherratt names unchanged Wales side to face Scotland

Wales’ interim head coach Matt Sherratt has named an unchanged team for the Guinness Six Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Sherratt has predictably retained the starting line-up that gave title favourites Ireland a major scare in Cardiff 12 days ago.

It is the first time since 2019 and World Cup games against Georgia and Australia in Japan that Wales have fielded the same XV.

Two switches among the replacements see returns for former captain Dewi Lake, who was recently recalled to the squad after recovering from biceps surgery, and Cardiff prop Keiron Assiratti.

Hooking cover

Lake, Wales skipper in Australia last summer and throughout this season’s Autumn Nations Series, takes over from Evan Lloyd and will provide hooking cover for Elliot Dee, with Assiratti chosen instead of Henry Thomas.

Sherratt’s selection means another opportunity for Scarlets wing Ellis Mee, who impressed on his Test debut against Ireland, with fly-half Gareth Anscombe having recovered from a head knock suffered during that game.

Openside flankers Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell will again operate in tandem, while number eight Taulupe Faletau wins his 107th cap.

Reffell and lock Dafydd Jenkins are the only starting survivors from Wales’ dramatic 27-26 defeat against Scotland in Cardiff last year.

Penultimate match

The Edinburgh encounter is set to be Sherratt’s penultimate match in charge before he resumes duties as Cardiff head coach.

Wales have lost their last 15 Tests – the sequence began with a 2023 World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina – but the quality of performance in going down 27-18 to Ireland offered a brighter outlook ahead of remaining Six Nations appointments with Scotland and England.

And their recent Murrayfield record against Scotland is impressive, having won on six of the last eight visits to Edinburgh.

Sherratt said: “This week we have challenged ourselves to keep improving.

“We want to keep the same intent and bravery as we showed last time out, but making sure that we are building on our game.

“We are excited for the challenge of playing Scotland in Edinburgh and can’t wait to get out there on Saturday.”

Team: B Murray (Scarlets); T Rogers (Scarlets), M Llewellyn (Gloucester), B Thomas (Cardiff), E Mee (Scarlets); G Anscombe (Gloucester), Tomos Williams (Gloucester); N Smith (Leicester), E Dee (Dragons), W John (Sale Sharks), W Rowlands (Racing 92), D Jenkins (Exeter), J Morgan (Ospreys, capt), T Reffell (Leicester), T Faletau (Cardiff).

Replacements: D Lake (Ospreys), G Thomas (Ospreys), K Assiratti (Cardiff), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), A Wainwright (Dragons), R Williams (Dragons), J Evans (Harlequins), J Roberts (Scarlets).