Preview: Wales vs Scotland - prediction team news, lineups

Wales host Scotland at the Principality Stadium this Saturday for their latest instalment of action in this year's Six Nations Championships.

Steve Tandy's men were thumped 54-12 by France at home last weekend, while Gregor Townsend's side returned to winning ways against England at Murrayfield.

Match preview

Having been burdened by the wooden spoon in each of their previous two Six Nations tournaments, Wales have endured a rough start to this year's competition too.

After conceding a combined 102 points to England and France in their first two matches, Tandy's men sit bottom of the table without a single point so far and have lost 23 of their previous 25 games in all competitions.

Since winning the tournament five years ago, in which they were moments away from a grand slam, Wales have failed to triumph in multiple games during a singular Six Nations campaign and have won only two of their previous 23 matches in the competition.

Although they have won 11 of their previous 13 home matches against Scotland, their two losses have come in the last three matches, most recently losing 27-26 despite a late comeback surge in 2024.

Following a disappointing opening weekend loss to Italy in Rome, Scotland reignited their Six Nations campaign with a pulsating victory at home to England last weekend.

After losing big games at home against the likes of New Zealand, Ireland and Argentina in the last year, Saturday's win was momentous for Scotland, who are still chasing their first-ever Six Nations crown.

If they were to claim a bonus-point victory on Saturday, Townsend's men would have already matched their 11-point tally from last year's championship after only three matches, although they have never before taken away maximum points from the Principality Stadium.

However, after winning only three of the previous 19 encounters between the sides, Scotland have won their latest three successive matches against Wales, most recently beating them 25-29 at Murrayfield last year.

Wales Six Nations form:

Wales form (all competitions):

Scotland Six Nations form:

Scotland form (all competitions):

Team News

Steve Tandy has made two changes to the scrum he deployed against France last weekend as Adam Beard and Olly Cracknell make way for Ben Carter and Taine Plumtree, with Aaron Wainwirght moving from blind-side flanker to the back row.

In the backline, Dan Edwards makes way for Sam Costelow and Gabriel Hamer-Webb is preferred to Ellis Mee.

With Costelow, Hamer-Webb, Freddie Thomas, James Botham and Blair Murray coming into the squad, Beard, Cracknell, James Botham, Blair Murray and Mee drop out.

In the pack, Townsend has brought in Dave Cherry, Max Williamson and Matt Fagerson in place of George Turner, Jamie Ritchie and Jack Dempsey.

Blair Kinghorn is preferred at full-back to Tom Jordan, while Duhan van der Merwe also comes in to replace Jamie Dobie on the wing.

As a result of Grant Gilchrist, Josh Bayliss, Fagerson and van der Merwe all being introduced to the squad, Ritchie, Dempsey, Dobie and Adam Hastings all miss out.

Wales starting lineup:

15 Louis Rees-Zammit, 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Dewi Lake, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Ben Carter, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Alex Mann, 8 Aaron Wainwright

Replacements:

16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 James Botham, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Blair Murray

Scotland starting lineup:

15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Max Williamson, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Gregor Brown, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Matt Fagerson

Replacements:

16 George Turner, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 George Horne, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Darcy Graham

We say: Wales 12-34 Scotland

Wales are conceding points for fun at the moment, and although they will be more optimistic about facing Scotland in comparison to their previous two matches, it is difficult to see them beating Townsend's men.

Although we do not think they will post the same points tally as either England or France, we are backing Scotland to dump further misery on Wales this Saturday and claim their first ever bonus-point win in Cardiff.