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Warburton retains Wales starting spot

22nd February 2017


Sam Warburton has retained his place at the blindside for Wales' visit to Scotland on Saturday (KO 2.25pm).

Warburton is part of an unchanged back-row for the trip to BT Murrayfield, alongside Ospreys' Justin Tipuric and Gloucester's Ross Moriarty. 

Rob Howley, who will be looking to bounce back from Wales' 16-21 home defeat to England in Round Two of the 2017 RBS Six Nations, has made just one change to his starting line-up, with George North returning to the wing following injury.

Bath Rugby's Luke Charteris also returns from injury and is named on the bench.

Howley insists his side will look to take the positives from the clash with England into Saturday's match at Edinburgh.

"In terms of intensity and performance, we stepped up a level against England and we need to take the positives from that performance and take it into 80 minutes against Scotland at Murrayfield," said Howley.

"We know what we are capable of and we want to deliver that on Saturday alongside the result, which international rugby is all about."

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny (RC Toulon); George North (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)

Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Bath Rugby), Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Sam Davies (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins)