Scotland v France: Debut for Blade Thomson as hosts change 14

Scarlets' Blade Thomson missed a large chunk of his Pro14 debut season with concussion

Blade Thomson makes his Scotland debut and fly-half Finn Russell returns for Saturday's World Cup warm-up Test against France.

Full-back Stuart Hogg is the sole starter retained from last weekend's 32-3 hammering in Nice.

Scrum-half Greig Laidlaw captains the side, while New Zealand-born Thomson is joined by Hamish Watson and Ryan Wilson in the back-row.

Peter Horne and Chris Harris form the centre partnership at Murrayfield.

Scott Cummings, making just his second international appearance, and Sam Skinner combine in the second row, while hooker George Turner wins his seventh cap with props Gordon Reid and Willem Nel either side.

Hogg is joined by wings Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour, while Russell and Laidlaw start together for the 32nd time.

Scarlets' Thomson, 28, who missed the autumn Tests and Six Nations with concussion, is eligible through his paternal grandfather.

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Centre Sam Johnson, back-row Magnus Bradbury and hooker Fraser Brown are currently sidelined by injuries.

Head coach Gregor Townsend is certain he "will see a better performance" after shipping five tries in the south of France.

"We referenced a game in the changing room where we missed a performance against Wales a year ago and turned round in a week with a very good performance against France.

"The physical drive has to be right across the team. The players know that and know that is what should happen every time they play for Scotland," Townsend said.

"If last week was a reminder to us all that if you don't do that, you are going to come to a big loss, then we don't need another reminder."

France have made four changes, with captain Guilhem Guirado back at hooker, Felix Lambey replacing suspended lock Paul Gabrillagues, Arthur Iturria at six and Thomas Ramos at full-back.

Scotland: Hogg, Seymour, Harris, P Horne, Maitland, Russell, Laidlaw (capt); Reid, Turner, Nel, Cummings, Skinner, Wilson, Watson, Thomson.

Replacements: Stewart, Dell, Berghan, Gilchrist, Barclay, G Horne, Hutchinson, Kinghorn.

'Scotland just have to get better defensively' - analysis

Former Scotland international Iain Morrison talking to BBC Radio Scotland

There is no question that the rugby world knows if you keep the ball tight and batter Scotland repeatedly, eventually they will crack.

Opposition will know Scotland's weaknesses, they will drive the ball, they will have one-out runners. They will test Scotland's defence relentlessly and we just have to be better.

This is not a must-win match but it's one Gregor Townsend would very much like to win and I think Scotland will be very much better than they were a week ago.