Six Nations: John Barclay named in Scotland team to face England

Flanker John Barclay will play his first Six Nations game since 2012 after being named in the Scotland team to face England at BT Murrayfield tomorrow.

John Barclay will play his first Six Nations match since 2012. Picture: Jane Barlow

The Scarlets forward will earn his 46th cap at blindside in a back row that also contains openside John Hardie and No 8 David Denton.

Mark Bennett has recovered from his shoulder injury and plays in a side which contains just two changes from the one that started against Australia in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final, with Matt Scott partnering the Glasgow centre in midfield.

Barclay was brought back into the World Cup training camp and featured in the warm-up Tests but failed to make coach Vern Cotter’s final 31-man squad.

Young Glasgow tighthead prop Zander Fagerson could win his first cap after being named on the bench.

Scotland team to face England at Murrayfield on Saturday (kick-off 4.50pm):

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow)

14 Sean Maitland (London Irish)

13 Mark Bennett (Glasgow)

12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh)

11 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow)

10 Finn Russell (Glasgow)

9 Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt)

1 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh)

2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh)

3 Willem Nel (Edinburgh)

4 Richie Gray (Castres)

5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow)

6 John Barclay (Scarlets)

7 John Hardie (Edinburgh)

8 David Denton (Bath)

Subs

16 Stuart McInally (Edinburgh)

17 Gordon Reid (Glasgow)

18 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow)

19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow)

20 Blair Cowan (London Irish)

21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh)

22 Duncan Weir (Edinburgh)

23 Duncan Taylor (Saracens)

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