Ex-Wales Sevens star handed debut against Scotland

OSPREYS WING LUKE Morgan will make his Wales debut against Scotland at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday.

Morgan, Wales’ record try-scorer on the world Sevens circuit, returned to Welsh regional side the Ospreys this season after six years playing in the abbreviated format.

Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate, whose last international appearance was 11 months ago, was recalled to a Wales team announced on Thursday, with veteran lock Alun Wyn Jones captaining a side that contains seven British and Irish Lions Test players.

Elsewhere, Cardiff Blues back Gareth Anscombe is at fly-half for only his fourth start in the number 10 shirt in 19 Tests while centre Jonathan Davies, the Lions player of the series in their drawn 2017 campaign against New Zealand returns after nearly a year out of Test action with a foot injury.

Because this match falls outside World Rugby’s official window for November Tests, foreign clubs are not obliged to release any of their Wales players for Saturday’s fixture.

So Wales will be without their English Premiership quartet of Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Josh Adams and Tomas Francis.

But Gatland, now back with the Wales camp after returning to his native New Zealand last week following the death of his father, will still be fielding a hugely experienced side with nearly 650 caps between them.

“We are excited to kick off our autumn campaign on Saturday and it was great to welcome Warren back yesterday,” said Wales assistant coach Rob Howley today.

Former Wales and Lions scrum-half Howley added: “It is great to reward players on form and we are looking forward to seeing Luke make his debut on the wing.

“He has come through the Sevens system, he will bring a point of difference to the squad and it’s a great opportunity for him.”

Wales, who beat Scotland 34-7 in this year’s Six Nations in Cardiff, have not lost at home to the Scots since a 27-22 defeat in 2002 when opposition coach Gregor Townsend was still playing for the Dark Blues.

Stuart McInally will captain Scotland. Source: PA Archive/PA Images

Edinburgh hooker Stuart McInally will lead Scotland out after being named as captain by Townsend yesterday.

It will be the second time the 28-year-old McInally has skippered the national side after leading Scotland to a 44-15 win away to Argentina at Resistencia in June in their final match of a tour of the Americas after he missed earlier fixtures on the trip through injury.

Scotland will also be unable to select their overseas-based players, so that has ruled out Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, now at French club Clermont, while injury has sidelined another former captain in John Barclay, with Townsend deciding to retain McInally as skipper.

The window restrictions mean Townsend’s team is effectively an Edinburgh-Glasgow select side.