The 30-year-old Scarlets back-row takes on the mantle from scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, who was ruled out of the championship after sustaining an ankle injury in the previous round against France in Paris.
The absence of the injured Laidlaw prompts one of three injury-enforced changes to the side, with Glasgow Warriors’ Ali Price set to make his first start for the national team.
Back-row Ryan Wilson has long-since recovered from the elbow infection that kept him out of the France game and replaces the injured Josh Strauss (kidney), while Harlequins wing Tim Visser gets his first opportunity of the championship as a straight swap for Sean Maitland, who has failed to recover sufficiently from the rib injury sustained representing Saracens last weekend.
A further two tactical changes see Gordon Reid and John Hardie get their first start of the campaign, trading places with their respective compatriots Allan Dell and Hamish Watson, who have been named on the bench after starting the opening two games.
The rest of the squad is unchanged.
Backs
15. Stuart Hogg
14. Tommy Seymour
13. Huw Jones
12. Alex Dunbar
11. Tim Visser
10. Finn Russell
9. Ali Price
Forwards
1. Gordon Reid
2. Fraser Brown
3. Zander Fagerson
4. Richie Gray
5. Jonny Gray
6. John Barclay CAPTAIN
7. John Hardie
8. Ryan Wilson
Replacements:
16. Ross Ford
17. Allan Dell
18. Simon Berghan
19. Tim Swinson
20. Hamish Watson
21. Henry Pyrgos
22. Duncan Weir
23. Mark Bennett
