Scotland centre Matt Scott will make his return to the Edinburgh line-up when the capital outfit kick off the new Guinness PRO14 season away to Ospreys.
The 27-year-old has rejoined the Murrayfield outfit after two years in Gloucester and goes straight into Richard Cockerill's team for Friday night's Liberty Stadium showdown.
He is joined by four debutants as half-backs Henry Pyrgos and Simon Hickey, prop Pierre Schoeman and flanker Luke Hamilton make their first Edinburgh starts.
Cockerill said: "We've named an experienced outfit, which we believe has the mentality and toughness to compete against a combative Ospreys side.
"It's imperative that we lay down an early marker in the championship. We are prepared as we possibly can and will travel to Wales with confidence."
Blair Kinghorn returns to action at full-back following a breakout Summer Tour in the dark blue of Scotland. The 21-year-old starts alongside Dougie Fife and last season's top try scorer, Duhan van der Merwe.
Mark Bennett is named at outside-centre alongside the aforementioned Scott.
Club captain Stuart McInally is named at hooker and packs down alongside Schoeman and Simon Berghan - who makes his 50th appearance for the club. Locks Grant Gilchrist and Ben Toolis are selected in the boiler room.
Scotland star Hamish Watson is named at openside flanker and makes his first league appearance since undergoing season-ending surgery in April. Hamilton and Fijian international Bill Mata complete the back-row.
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