Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend names team to take on Wales in rugby’s Six Nations

Head coach Gregor Townsend and Cameron Redpath during a Scotland rugby training session at Edinburgh's Oriam last week (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

The French-born 24-year-old, son of former Scotland captain and Melrose scrum-half Bryan Redpath, is currently on nine caps so he’ll hit double figures if his services are called upon at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium this weekend.

Stand-off Finn Russell will take on captaincy duties alone as his co-skipper, former Southern Knights flanker Rory Darge, is out injured. The 23-year-old is expected to be available for selection for the Scots’ second match of the tournament, at home at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium a week on Saturday to France, however.

Kick-off is at 4.45pm and Saturday’s match will be screened live by the BBC.

Cameron Redpath during a Scotland rugby training session at Edinburgh's Oriam last week (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

Joining Russell, 31, in head coach Gregor Townsend’s starting XV are Kyle Rowe, Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White, Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Richie Gray, Scott Cummings, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie and Matt Fagerson.

Alongside Redpath on the substitutes’ bench will be Ewan Ashman, Alec Hepburn, Elliot Millar-Mills, Sam Skinner, Jack Dempsey, George Horne and Ben Healy.

Explaining Darge’s absence, former Gala and Border Reiver star Townsend, 50, said: “Rory’s just coming back from the final stages of his rehab.

“This game’s come too soon for him but he’s going to be fully fit for next week.”