2011 SIX NATIONS: SCOTLAND v WALES
Venue: Murrayfield Stadium Date: Saturday, 12 February Kick-off: 1700 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One from 1635, and on the Red Button and online; listen on BBC Radio 5 live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles. Also broadcast on BBC America.
 Morgan Stoddart scored Wales' try against England in Cardiff |
Wales wing Morgan Stoddart has passed a fitness test on a broken bone in his hand ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield. Stoddart suffered the injury in Wales' opening 26-19 defeat by England. Experienced fly-half Stephen Jones has been dropped to the Wales bench and replaced by James Hook. British and Irish Lions star Jones has taken a limited part in training after a bump to his neck during the opening Six Nations loss to England in Cardiff. Lee Byrne returns to replace Hook at full-back while Ryan Jones comes in at number eight for injured Andy Powell. Wales assistant coach Roberts Howley said: "Morgan passed a fitness test on Thursday. He came through that really well - our physio, Mark Davies, worked him really hard for 15 minutes. The 26-year-old Scarlets wing suffered a bone fracture in a hand in his try-scoring performance in Wales' 26-19 defeat by England in Cardiff on Friday, 4 February. Stoddart's inclusion rules out a backline reshuffle that would have resulted in Jamie Roberts switching to wing. Wales coach Warren Gatland made the "brave call" to give Hook a chance at number 10. "James has a real opportunity to show what a quality player he is," said Gatland. "There is a certain amount of risk involved as he has not started a game at fly-half this season. "But the decision was made easier considering Stephen has been limited in what he can do in the early part of this week after the bump he picked up early on against England." British and Irish Lions full-back Byrne is recalled for his 40th Wales cap as Hook is moved forward to partner Mike Phillips at half-back. Deposed captain Ryan Jones returns in the back row as Powell injured his shoulder in the bruising loss to England and joins props Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins and wings Leigh Halfpenny and George North on the injured list. "The forwards were in a battle last week," said Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde. "But there were plenty of things that went right and we want them to go up to Murrayfield and give it a shot. "Our front five was an asset in the autumn and Craig Mitchell has come in and done well and helped give us platform off the scrum and line-out. "We have talked about better execution and accuracy but largely we want the same again from the forwards with Ryan coming back into the mix as well. "Ryan has shown his true character after some set-backs in terms of selection and playing in different areas of the pack and he has come out on top."  | 606: DEBATE |
Experienced Dwayne Peel, the 2005 Lions scrum-half, is unavailable after injuring a hip in training and the Sale Sharks player will be replaced by Scarlets youngster Tavis Knoyle. Knoyle's uncapped regional team-mate Josh Turnbull, the promising 22-year-old flanker, is one of four Scarlets on the replacements' bench. But moving Hook to fly-half for his 49th cap is the biggest call for Gatland as the versatile 25-year-old, who will play for Perpignan next season, is in for the dependable 96-times capped Jones. He made three starts as Wales' number 10 in their 2008 Grand Slam season but Hook has not played at fly-half since September 2009, for the Ospreys. The last time Hook played as his country's playmaker was in the 2009 Six Nations in their game in Italy - but he has long been Jones' deputy and has also spoken of his desire to be Wales' chief orchestrator. Wales, without a win in their last eight Tests, have beaten Scotland at Murrayfield only three times during the past 20 years.
Wales team to face Scotland in Edinburgh on 12 February:
Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets); Jamie Roberts (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets); Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys); Paul James (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Capt, Scarlets), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Dragons), Sam Warburton (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys)
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), John Yapp (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), John Turnbull (Scarlets), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets). Wales squad: Forwards: Paul James (Ospreys), John Yapp (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Ospreys), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets, capt), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Blues), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Wasps), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Dragons). Backs: Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Sale), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Chris Czekaj (Blues).
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