Wilson captains Scotland for the first time against Georgia

Ryan Wilson will captain Scotland for the first time in the national team’s final Summer Test match against Georgia.

Scotland opened a fortnight of firsts last weekend in Tbilisi as the first Tier One nation to travel for a Test match on Georgian soil, with Friday’s return fixture in Edinburgh the first ever Scotland home game on a Friday night outside the Rugby World Cup.

Head Coach Townsend has made 12 changes to the starting side that defeated Georgia 44-10 at the Dinamo Arena, naming a starting XV who yesterday were announced in the 31-man squad for Rugby World Cup 2019, with six of the eight replacements also set to take the plane to Japan on Monday.

Glasgow Warriors Tommy Seymour and Scarlets number 8 Blade Thomson have completed the graduated return to play protocol for concussions sustained against France almost fortnight ago, while lock Jonny Gray will feature for the first time since sustaining a hamstring strain in pre-season.

An entirely new pack that will take to the field from the outset on Friday night, with Glasgow Warriors pair George Turner and Zander Fagerson combining with Ayrshire Bulls loosehead Gordon Reid making up the front-row.

Glasgow Warriors lock Scott Cummings has been promoted from the bench to feature alongside the returning Gray, while back-row Jamie Ritchie completes the loose forwards alongside Wilson and Thomson.

In the backs, Saracens centre Duncan Taylor combines with a Sam Johnson in a new-look midfield, Glasgow Warriors half-backs half Ali Price and Adam Hastings get their second chance to start together in the campaign, while Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn and Darcy Graham return to start alongside fit-again Seymour.

Scotland team to play Georgia at Murrayfield Stadium