John Barclay is back as Scotland make wholesale changes

John Barclay will make his first Scotland start since November 2013 in Saturday's World Cup warm-up match against Italy at Murrayfield.

The Scarlets flanker was overlooked for 18 months before he was recalled by coach Vern Cotter for the Test against Ireland in Dublin earlier this month, and then came on as a second-half replacement.

And he is now back in the starting XV for Saturday's game in Edinburgh and a large crowd will be in attendance as the Scots play their final match on home soil before departing for next month's World Cup in England.

Cotter has made wholesale changes to the side which beat the Azzurri 16-12 in Turin last weekend and wing Sean Lamont is the only man to retain his place.

The experienced Lamont, who was brought back into the squad as a replacement because Tommy Seymour has back pain, will start a third straight summer Test and win his 96th cap.

Lock Grant Gilchrist missed out last weekend after he fell sick on the morning of the match but is back and will pack down alongside Jonny Gray in the second row.

In the front-row, Edinburgh trio Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and Willem Nel start after impressing as replacements against Italy, and Barclay will be joined in the back-row by David Denton and Ryan Wilson.

In the back three, full-back Stuart Hogg and Harlequins wing Tim Visser will join Lamont, while Glasgow duo Peter Horne and Mark Bennett will team up in midfield.

Finn Russell and skipper Greig Laidlaw will start at fly-half and scrum-half respectively.

Cotter said: "It's a good indication of our growing quality and depth that we're able to pitch another quite different, yet talented side into battle this Saturday.

"Many of these players have worked hard all summer long and have had to wait patiently on the sidelines for this opportunity.

"They're keen to pull on the jersey, get out there, and put in a strong performance as part of a successful Scotland team.

"The players and coaches are always very grateful for the support we get at BT Murrayfield, so the news of Saturday's record crowd gave everyone a nice lift at the start of this week.

"Our job is to go out there and be accurate in our application and perform to our ability. Do that and we'll be on the right track to delivering a performance of which the Scottish people can be proud, in what is our last home appearance before the Rugby World Cup."

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c); 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford, 3 Willem Nel, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Barclay, 8 David Denton.

Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Robert Harley, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Matt Scott.