Scotland v Wales: Team news, predictions, odds & TV

Scotland host Wales in the RBS 6 Nations on Saturday February 25, with the match kicking off at 1425 GMT at Murrayfield and screened live on BBC.

Here is our preview pack, which includes the team news, quotes from coaches, key facts, the latest Sky Bet odds and the thoughts of our Steve Bramley to help you with your bets.You can also click here for all the Six Nations fixtures, results, standings, TV guide, team-by-team standings and historical statistics.

Scotland v Wales: Latest Team news

Scarlets flanker John Barclay will captain Scotland when they take on Wales at Murrayfield on Saturday. Regular skipper Greig Laidlaw has been ruled out of the Dark Blues' three remaining RBS 6 Nations fixtures after injuring ankle ligaments against France two weeks ago. Barclay - who has captained his club side on several occasions - took over the armband when Laidlaw limped off in Paris before having to go off himself with a suspected concussion, but has now been passed fit to face Rob Howley's Dragons. 

Vern Cotter has made five changes to the team defeated 22-16 by Les Bleus, with Ali Price replacing Laidlaw at scrum-half, while back-rowers Ryan Wilson and John Hardie come in for Hamish Watson and the also injured Josh Strauss.Wing Sean Maitland is another casualty, with his place going to Harlequins' Tim Visser, while prop Gordon Reid trades places with Allan Dell. 

George North will return to Wales' starting line-up for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield. The Northampton wing has recovered from a leg injury that sidelined him for Wales' 21-16 loss to reigning champions England earlier this month, and he replaces Alex Cuthbert.

It is the only change following the England defeat, with Wales boss Rob Howley retaining a back row of Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty, and 63 times-capped number eight Taulupe Faletau again on the bench.

There is one switch among the replacements, with Faletau's Bath colleague Luke Charteris involved for the first time in Wales' current Six Nations campaign. Charteris has been unavailable due to a fractured hand, but he has regained full fitness and takes over as second-row cover from Newport Gwent Dragons lock Cory Hill.

Teams:

Scotland:  Hogg (Glasgow); Seymour (Glasgow), Jones (Stormers), Dunbar (Glasgow), Visser (Harlequins), Russell (Glasgow), Price (Glasgow); Reid (Glasgow), Brown (Glasgow), Fagerson (Glasgow), R Gray (Toulouse), J Gray (Glasgow), Barclay (Scarlets, capt), Hardie (Edinburgh), Wilson (Glasgow).

Replacements: Ford (Edinburgh); Dell (Edinburgh), Berghan (Edinburgh), Swinson (Glasgow), Watson (Edinburgh), Pyrgos (Glasgow), Weir (Edinburgh), Bennett (Glasgow). 

Wales: L Halfpenny (Toulon); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), L Williams (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), R Webb (Ospreys); R Evans (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), J Ball (Scarlets), AW Jones (Ospreys, capt), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements: S Baldwin (Ospreys), N Smith (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), L Charteris (Bath), T Faletau (Bath), G Davies (Scarlets), S Davies (Ospreys), J Roberts (Harlequins).

Scotland v Wales: Odds & advice

Wales are marginal 8/11 favourites with Sky Bet to bounce back to winning ways when they visit Scotland, who can be backed at even money to do likewise. The latter are also on offer at evens with a one-point start on the handicap, with the visitors 9/2 to come out on top by a margin of 1-5 points. George North is 9/1 favourite to score the opening try ahead of Liam Williams (10/1) while Scotland's Tim Visser is 11/1.

Click here to check out all of Sky Bet's odds! 

Steve Bramley writes: If recent history is anything to go by then Wales look hard to oppose in Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Remarkably the Welsh have won their last nine meetings with the Scots, including four consecutive victories in Edinburgh and are now best price 17/20 to extend that run in the Scottish capital.

Before this year’s tournament got under way I had pencilled this in as a possible win for Vern Cotter’s side – and that was only enhanced when they claimed a memorable opening day victory over Ireland.

But injuries to instrumental captain Grieg Laidlaw and powerful No 8 Josh Strauss in the narrow 22-16 defeat to France two weeks ago have come as massive body-blows to Scotland and Cotter, who bows out as coach at the end of the season.

Strauss was outstanding in a brutal battle in Paris, but it is Laidlaw’s loss that could ultimately prove hugely costly in a match crucial to both sides’ own Championship hopes.

Wales, like Scotland, trail leaders England by three points in the table after a straight-forward opening day win in Rome before suffering a last-gasp defeat to England in Cardiff.

Despite that narrow 21-16 defeat, Wales impressed with their fast, flowing style and were more than a shade unlucky not to end the champions unbeaten run under Eddie Jones.

They dominated England for long periods but were ultimately punished by Elliot Daly’s late try.

The backrow of Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty caused England all kind of problems – dominating the breakdown and a similar performance on Saturday could expose a Scotland side lacking their inspirational leader Laidlaw and the rampaging Strauss and the base of the scrum.

While recent meetings have gone the way of the Dragons the winning margin in the last two has been extremely tight hence the one point handicap line  – Wales edging it 26-23 in 2015 and winning 27-23 at the Principality Stadium last year courtesy of George North’s late try. 

Scotland, who have won their last three matches at Murrayfield, proved against Ireland and France their dogged determination and with so much at stake another tense tussle is almost guaranteed, but I’d expect Wales to douse the Scots fire and ultimately come out on top.

Wales -5 points on the handicap at 13/8 with Ladbrokes appeals and I’d also cover that with Sky Bet’s 9/2 about a 1-5 point margin in the visitors favour.

I also can’t ignore the 12/1 on Stuart Hogg crossing the whitewash for the opening try.

The Scotland full-back has been in sensational form of late, scoring in each of his last four Six Nations matches and first in the last two, and is certainly well worth a small investment at a decent price.

Suggestion:

Stuart Hogg first try & Wales (-5) to beat Scotland

Scotland v Wales: Key quotes

Stand-in skipper John Barclay on assuming the armband from Greig Laidlaw: "I was told on Sunday night that I'd be captain, it was a little bit of a surprise. We were waiting to see how my shoulder and my head was and then I had a one to one chat with Vern. That was about it, it wasn't too long a conversation. It was a question which I was always going to say yes to.

"I don't know if I'm a better player now [than in 2015], I feel as though I'm playing some decent rugby. I went back to my club after being left out of the World Cup and continued to play well. I was reasonably pleased at how I responded to it.

"This is not a story about my comeback, no matter what people say. It's about what I can bring as a captain and as a player."

Vern Cotter on Barclay being a natural-born leader: "John's been part of the leadership group and was captain when Greig went off against France, although he unfortunately then had to come off too. So it was pretty easy, all we had to do was wait to make sure that his shoulder was okay.

"John has very good leadership qualities and he's got good people around him. The group's been developing over the last couple of years, and he'll be tapping into guys like Jonny Gray, Richie Gray, Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Ali Price. He knows how to talk to referees and to captain a side. He's looking forward to it.

"As soon as Greig was injured in Paris he took over the captaincy. It was something that had been spoken about beforehand by the coaches. Captaincy is something that comes naturally to him, he doesn't have to force it. And he's respected by the players so it was pretty easy."

"He's been playing really well and he has those leadership qualities and as soon as he was involved with us it was obvious he had something, and now he's come through as captain, so that's a credit to him forcing his way back in there and captaining his country against Wales, where he plays his club rugby. So it's a great day for him."

Rob Howley on George North's return & Wales' hopes: "We have been able to select from a position of strength, which is a huge positive, and it is good to welcome George back into the starting XV and Luke on the bench.

"In terms of intensity and performance, we stepped up a level against England, and we need to take the positives from that performance and take it into 80 minutes against Scotland at Murrayfield.

"We know what we are capable of, and we want to deliver that on Saturday alongside the result, which international rugby is all about."

Rhys Webb has on Greig Laidlaw absence for Scotland and Ali Price as his replacement: "Them losing Greig is a massive loss - as a leader and as a kicker as well. His accuracy off the tee is pretty impressive, so whoever replaces him will be putting in a lot of practice this week."

"He (Ali Price) has been playing in the Glasgow team which has been full of confidence last season and this season. He has a good understanding with Finn Russell at nine and 10, so he is likely to start.

"They have got lots of attacking threats, so they will want to play some rugby as well, especially with Finn Russell at 10. He has been pulling the strings for Glasgow, and Stuart Hogg has been carving it up for the last two games."

Scotland v Wales: Opta Facts

Wales are hunting for a 10th consecutive win against Scotland, winning by an average margin of 15 points in the previous nine. 

This is the longest winning run either side has enjoyed in the history of this fixture. 

Included in this streak, Wales have won on each of their last four trips to Scotland; their best ever run of victories there. Scotland have won their last three home games (Ireland, Georgia, Argentina), only once since 1996 have they gone on a longer such run (2006: France, England, Romania, Pacific Islanders). 

Wales have won four and drawn one of their last six games away from home in the Six Nations.

Wales have crossed for at least one try in each of their last 13 Six Nations games, the longest current run of any side in the tournament. 

George North has scored in each of his last five Six Nations appearances; if he scores in this game it would set a new record in the competition. 

Stuart Hogg has scored in each of his last four Six Nations games; he could equal North’s current record (shared with 8 others) if he crosses and North doesn’t.  

Scotland v Wales: Last four meetings

2016: Wales 27-23 Scotland, Cardiff
2015: Scotland 23-26 Wales, Edinburgh
2014: Wales 51-3 Scotland, Cardiff
2013: Scotland 18-28 Wales, Edinburgh 

Scotland v Wales: Six Nations so far

Round One

Scotland 27-22 Ireland (Murrayfield)
Italy 7-33 Wales (Stadio Olimico) 

Round Two

Wales 16-21 England (Principality Stadium)
France 22-16 Scotland (Stade de France)