Wales v Scotland preview

Dan Biggar and Mike Phillips will form a new half-back partnership as Warren Gatland makes six changes to his Wales team ahead of their game against Scotland on Saturday.
The duo who used to play together at the Ospreys take over Rhys Priestland and Rhys Webb at fly-half and scrum-half respectively while Liam Williams starts at full-back replacing the injured Leigh Halfpenny.
There are three more changes in the pack with Ken Owens and Rhodri Jones getting the nod over Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones in the front-row while Perpignan giant Luke Charteris partners Alun-Wyn Jones in the engine room.
Wales’ hopes of winning three consecutive Six Nations went up in smoke at Twickenham last Sunday but they’ll want to end up the tournament on a high in front of their home crowd.
“Saturday is an opportunity for us to put in a performance we know we can and finish the Six Nations on a high,” Gatland said. “We’ve made a number of changes and freshened things up with a just a six day turnaround between matches.
“Liam [Williams] and Mike [Phillips] come in with Leigh [Halfpenny] and Rhys [Webb] ruled out and Dan Biggar gets his opportunity at fly-half.
 In the front-row Ken Owens and Rhodri Jones get their chance to start after impressing off the bench and it’s good to have Luke [Charteris] back from injury in the second-row.
“Scotland will come looking to play some rugby and had a morale boosting win against Italy and were unlucky to lose against France in recent weeks. We will be looking for a more accurate execution this week to finish with a win at home in Cardiff.”
Meanwhile, Dougie Fife will make his Scotland Test debut after being named on the wing in the place of Tommy Seymour who has not recovered sufficiently from the ankle injury he sustained against France last weekend.
On the other wing, Max Evans proved his fitness at training this morning and will win his 42nd cap taking over from Sean Lamont who suffered a knee injury early in the first half against Les Bleus.
In the pack Ryan Wilson is back at blindside replacing the injured Johnnie Beattie.
Alasdair Strokosch returns to provide cover on the bench for the Scots alongside prop Alasdair Dickinson who has recovered from the calf injury he sustained in Rome last month.
Head coach Scott Johnson said: “We’ve got to live by that and it would be nice to put in a performance against Wales.
“They will be hurting from their loss and they are now out of the championship, so it is two sides that are hurting and wanting to put on a good performance and we’re looking forward to it.”
Wales: Liam Williams (Scarlets); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), George North (Northampton Saints); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets); Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys); Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, Capt.), Taulupe Faletau (NG Dragons).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Paul James (Bath Rugby), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan).
Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Dougie Fife, Alex Dunbar, Matt Scott, Max Evans; Duncan Weir, Greig Laidlaw; Ryan Grant, Scott Lawson, Geoff Cross; Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton; Ryan Wilson, Kelly Brown (Capt.), David Denton.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Alasdair Dickinson, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson, Alasdair Strokosch, Chris Cusiter, Duncan Taylor, Jack Cuthbert.