Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has made five significant changes to the squad for the upcoming Six Nations clash against Wales. Key players Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe return to the starting fifteen. Meanwhile, Wales, grappling with a streak of thirteen consecutive losses in the tournament, are banking on a debutant from Leicester Tigers, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, hoping to break the dismal run in front of their home crowd in Cardiff.

Return of Scotland's stars

Coach Gregor Townsend has reinstated Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe to the lineup, aiming to strengthen the attack in Cardiff.

Debut for Wales

Winger Gabriel Hamer-Webb from Leicester Tigers will make his first appearance for the national team, which is hoped to help break the streak of 13 losses.

Battle for consistency

The Scots are trying to avoid the historical mistake of a poor performance immediately after a prestigious victory over England for the Calcutta Cup.

The situation in this year's Six Nations Championship is gaining momentum after sensational results in previous rounds. Scotland, under the leadership of Gregor Townsend, approaches Saturday's match following a spectacular victory over England for the Calcutta Cup, winning 31:20. Despite the euphoria in Edinburgh, the coaching staff decided to make adjustments, reinstating Blair Kinghorn and the record try-scorer, Duhan van der Merwe, to the lineup. Both players missed the first two matches due to poorer form, but their experience with the British & Irish Lions is expected to be crucial on the challenging ground in Cardiff. Other changes include Dave Cherry starting in the front row and Max Williamson, aimed at providing greater physicality in the game against Wales. The Calcutta Cup is the oldest international trophy in rugby, contested exclusively by Scotland and England since 1879. Although historically England has dominated these encounters, the last decade has seen a clear resurgence of the Scottish team. In the Welsh camp, the mood is quite different. The Wales national team is currently experiencing its deepest crisis in modern history, recording a streak of 13 consecutive losses in the championship. Coach Steve Tandy has taken a bold step by introducing an untested young talent to the lineup. Gabriel Hamer-Webb, a winger for Leicester Tigers, will make his international debut, replacing Ellis Mee. In total, the Welsh team has made four changes compared to the heavy defeat against France (12:54). The new playmaker will be Sam Costelow, who has been given a chance at fly-half at the expense of Dan Edwards. The Welsh are fighting not only for points but also to avoid a third consecutive Wooden Spoon. „Scotland must rise again and deliver another captivating performance, not limit their passion solely to clashes with England.” — Scott Cummings Historical analyses indicate that the Scots often struggle to maintain stable form after great triumphs over the English. Since 2000, they have lost their next match after winning the Calcutta Cup six times. Meanwhile, Wales, playing at Principality Stadium, hopes to break the deadlock thanks to the new energy of young players. Experts emphasize that for the hosts, Saturday's match is a "do or die" situation in the fight to regain fan trust after a year marked by painful losses. Recent results in the 2026 Six Nations Championship: Scotland 31:20 England; France 54:12 Wales; Italy 24:19 Scotland 13 — the number of consecutive matches the Wales national team has lost in the Six Nations Championship [{"aspekt": "Wing", "przed": "Arron Reed", "po": "Duhan van der Merwe"}, {"aspekt": "Fullback", "przed": "Tom Jordan", "po": "Blair Kinghorn"}, {"aspekt": "Hooker", "przed": "Ewan Ashman", "po": "Dave Cherry"}]

Mentioned People

  • Gregor Townsend — Head coach of the Scotland national rugby union team, responsible for recent successes in the Calcutta Cup.
  • Steve Tandy — Coach of the Wales national team, grappling with the longest losing streak in the team's history.
  • Duhan van der Merwe — South African-born Scottish player, record holder for the number of tries scored for Scotland.