MY ACCOUNT
Dan Biggar and Grant Gilchrist are set to make landmark appearances when Wales and Scotland clash in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Wales skipper Biggar will make his 100th Test appearance, with Jonathan Davies in line to join him in the century club when he comes off the bench in Cardiff.
Wales boss Wayne Pivac hailed the pair’s achievements at international level as he named his team on Thursday, revealing delight that both players get to reach the milestone in the same game.
“To get 100 Test matches in total for any player from any country, it’s just a magnificent achievement,” Pivac said. “It shows the hard work and dedication they have put in and the sacrifice they have made over a number of years to get to this stage.
“I’m very, very happy for both of those players to achieve it and to do it on the same day. They’ve played a lot of Test matches together in the past – it’s just going to be fantastic to see them both out there at some stage.”
Off the back of a humbling 29-7 defeat to Ireland in Dublin, Pivac’s side to face the Scots features four changes.
Ross Moriarty, Alex Cuthbert, Owen Watkin and Jac Morgan – making his Test debut – start ahead of Aaron Wainwright, Ellis Jenkins, Johnny McNicholl and Josh Adams, with Wales facing a Scotland side who began the championship with a gutsy victory over England.
Pivac said: “We expect Scotland to come down full of confidence. They’ve started with a good win. Across the board, they are a very competitive and committed side that throws everything at every play.”
Scotland boss Gregor Townsend makes five alterations to his team, despite clinching the Calcutta Cup 20-17 last Saturday, although Gilchrist is retained as he reaches his own milestone of 50 Scotland appearances.
Sam Skinner, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel, Stuart McInally and Sione Tuipulotu come into the starting line-up.
Scotland team: Hogg (c), Graham, Harris, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe, Russell, Price; Schoeman, McInally, Nel, Gray, Gilchrist, Skinner, Watson, M Fagerson.
Replacements: Turner, Sutherland, Z Fagerson, Bradbury, Darge, White, Kinghorn, Redpath.
Wales team: L Williams, Cuthbert, Watkin, Tompkins, Rees-Zammit, Biggar (c), T Williams; Jones, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Basham, Morgan, Moriarty.
Replacements: Lake, Thomas, Lewis, S Davies, Wainwright, G Davies, Sheedy, J Davies.
