Barclay’s depth of spirit

line-up that will face the Welsh.

Flanker John Hardie, fellow back-rower Ryan Wilson and and prop Gordon Reid should add meat to the pack, while Glasgow number nine Price makes his first Test start in what could be a maverick half back pairing with stand off Russell. Wing Tim Visser also comes in for Sean Maitland, another casualty after hurting ribs playing for Saracens at the weekend.

But Barclay concedes there is more to his new job than he first imagined.

“It’s a huge honour for me to be sat here as captain,” he said. “I know it’s a cliche but I’d much rather win at the weekend.

“I’m not much bothered about titles and I know Greig is the same – we want to win and that’s enough for us.

“I’ve been texting Greig and will ring him later just to have a chat with him. I can’t try to be like Greig as captain but since Monday I’ve realised just how much Greig does in addition to what you see and even in addition to what I saw as a player in the squad.”

Wales coach Rob Howley believes number eight Toby Faletau will thrive amid the intense pressure created by competition for back-row places, despite not giving him the call to start against Scotland at Murrayfied tomorrow.

Faletau will miss a start for the second successive six nations game, with Howley retaining a backrow trio of Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty.

Bath forward Faletau has won just three of his 63 caps off the bench, underlining what an integral figure he is, but Moriarty’s performance in defeat by England made an irresistible selection case.

“Any player will say they want to be put under pressure and compete for places,” Howley said.

“We’ve got four worldclass back row forwards there and it is genuinely a great headache to have a world-class player on the bench. I am sure it will drive Toby on.”

Wales’ bench is reinforced by the presence of Faletau’s Bath colleague, experienced lock Luke Charteris, and Howley wants more of an impact from his substitutes than was the case against

“Players coming on have to make a better impact than against England”

England, adding: “We learn off the best as players and coaches and I look at the All Blacks, in particular, when they go to the bench in 50 minutes and those players make a difference. That is what didn’t happen against England and, hopefully, it will be different at Murrayfield.

“When we make changes we expect impact. We feel we’ve got a strong bench and need to develop competition. Players coming on have to make a better impact than they did against England.”

Wales will face a Scotland side showing five changes from the one beaten by France, with injuries sidelining key players Greig Laidlaw,

TAKING THE LEAD: Scotland captain John Barclay during the six nations loss to France in Paris