Publications
Partners
Edinburgh - Magnus Bradbury has been recalled by Scotland to face England in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Edinburgh back-row missed Scotland's 19-12 defeat by Ireland in their Six Nations opener in Dublin last week with a thigh strain.
Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021
He has now returned at number eight in place of club-mate Nick Haining in the only change to the starting XV announced by Scotland coach Gregor Townsend on Thursday.
Haining has dropped back down to the bench in place of Cornell du Preez, while Edinburgh tight-head prop Simon Berghan is back among the replacements, after being ruled out through illness on the day of the Ireland game.
There was still no place for star flyhalf Finn Russell, who was with his Paris-based Racing 92 club last week after being omitted by Townsend for a late-night drinking session in the build-up to the opening game.
"We were proud of parts of our performance in Dublin at a very difficult venue," said Townsend. "The challenge for the squad is to replicate that level and take our chances when they come, in order to win tight games."
Scotland are unbeaten against World Cup finalists England in the past two editions of the Calcutta Cup, having won 25-13 at Murrayfield in 2018 before fighting back from a huge 31-0 deficit to draw 38-38 at Twickenham last year.
England, like Scotland, will head into the latest edition of international rugby union's oldest international fixture on the back of a defeat following a 24-17 loss to France in Paris in their Six Nations opener.
"We were disappointed not to beat Ireland but the opportunity to face England, against whom we are bidding to retain the Calcutta Cup, is one that excites players, coaches and supporters alike," said Townsend.
The former Scotland playmaker added: "England are an excellent team whose run to the Rugby World Cup final was no fluke.
"They will be smarting from their opener in Paris and (England coach) Eddie (Jones) will have them primed to come to Edinburgh and put in an improved performance."
Jones made five changes to England's starting XV earlier Thursday, with the veteran Australian coach dropping experienced scrumhalf Ben Youngs to the bench.
Teams:
Scotland
15 Stuart Hogg (captain), 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Rory Sutherland
Substitutes: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Ben Toolis, 20 Nick Haining, 21 George Horne, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 Chris Harris
England
15 George Furbank, 14 Jonny May, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Tom Curry, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Lewis Ludlam, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Substitutes: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Courtney Lawes, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Ben Youngs, 23 Ollie Devoto
