Pierre Schoemann returns to Scotland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations match against France at Murrayfield.
The South African loosehead prop and hooker George Turner, both replacements in the tense, come-from-behind 26-23 win against Wales in Cardiff a fortnight ago, form a new front row with tighthead prop D’Arcy Rae, who makes his first appearance of the tournament.
Schoeman and Rae start in place of Nathan McBeth, who drops out of the match 23, and the benched Zander Fagerson. Turner replaces Dave Cherry.
Jack Dempsey’s tournament appeared to be over after he suffered a bicep injury in last month’s 31-20 win over England at Twickenham, but after missing the Wales match, he has been cleared to face France.
Dempsey’s recall at No 8 sees Matt Fagerson move to blindside flank and Gregor Brown slotting into the second row, with lock Max Williamson omitted.
AFRICA PICKS: Six Nations by the numbers – team stats shaping the championship
In the backline, Darcy Graham replaces South African wing Duhan van der Merwe, having tied his fellow Edinburgh flyer’s all-time Scotland record of 35 tries with an opportunist score against Wales.
A bonus-point win for reigning champions France, the only unbeaten side after three rounds, would see them clinch the title with a game to spare and even a raw victory could give them an unassailable lead at the top of the table should other results fall in their favour.
But a bonus-point win for the Scots could see them leapfrog Les Bleus at the top of the table heading into the final round of matches on 14 March.
TEAM: France recall fit-again Jalibert
Earlier on Thursday, France coach Fabien Galthie recalled fly-half Matthieu Jalibert to his starting line-up following injury.
SCOTLAND – 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (c), 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Bench: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Freddy Douglas, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 George Horne, 23 Tom Jordan.
SUPERBRU: Les Bleus down Bravehearts, Ireland run riot
– AFP
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
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