Wales v Scotland: Rhys Webb starts for hosts & WRU confirms game is on

Rhys Webb will win his 34th Wales cap on Saturday against Scotland

Scrum-half Rhys Webb will make his first start for Wales in almost two and a half years when they face Scotland in the Six Nations in Cardiff on Saturday.

Sale Sharks tight-head prop WillGriff John will make his Wales debut after Dillon Lewis was ruled out by injury.

Dragons lock Cory Hill replaces injured Jake Ball to partner captain Alun Wyn Jones, who will equal Richie McCaw's world record of 148 Tests.

Jones wins his 139th Wales cap and has nine for the British and Irish Lions.

Hill has not played for Wales since their Six Nations win over England in February 2019. His return is one of four changes with Wyn Jones also replacing Rob Evans at loose-head prop.

It is the only game going ahead as scheduled in the fifth round of the Six Nations with France v Ireland and Italy v England postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak.

A statement issued by the Welsh Rugby Union on the eve of the game read: "Tomorrow's (Saturday) Guinness Six Nations clash with Scotland at Principality Stadium will go ahead as planned.

"WRU representatives have been in dialogue with Welsh Assembly Government minister for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething, who provided much needed clarity on the Cobra meeting held yesterday.

"Throughout the WRU board have followed the scientific advice of government, Public Health Wales and medical experts and determined that any game would be held or postponed based on that advice."

The Principality Stadium roof will be open and Wales head coach Wayne Pivac outlined how they were coping after confirming the players had not been tested for coronavirus.

"I am across it with our team manager Martyn Williams who is looking after the off field scenarios and dealing with our chief executive Martyn Phillips," said Pivac.

"We just wait to hear from him. For the rest of the blokes, it's work as normal. We're in isolation in this camp scenario.

"We've had a briefing from our head of medical in terms of good practice and making sure we're very hygienic in everything we do and give ourselves the best opportunity to stay healthy and free of anything that is going around.

"We're preparing for a game as we normally do but we're aware of the discussions going on at a higher level.

"I've got a huge responsibility within the team to make sure we're functioning as well as we can."

Wales aim to avoid a fourth successive defeat in Pivac's first campaign in charge as successor to Warren Gatland.

Webb has made replacement appearances against Italy and England and starts after Tomos Williams started three and Gareth Davies began one of the first four matches.

The 31-year-old has signed a short-term deal with Bath until the end of the season and will join Ospreys for the 2020-21 campaign.

Webb left French side Toulon in January 2020. He had previously been ineligible for international selection after the WRU brought in a policy in October 2017 that meant players were excluded if they had won fewer than 60 caps and opted to move away from Wales.

It meant Webb missed the 2019 World Cup, but became eligible again after being given a six-month dispensation by the Welsh Rugby Union in January 2020.

John's patient wait

WillGriff John in training with Taulupe Faletau

Tight-head prop John was named in the Six Nations squad but has had to be patient behind Dillon Lewis and Leon Brown for the opening four matches.

"He's got a reputation for being a good scrummager," said Pivac.

"He's been playing in the Premiership now for a number of years with some success.

"He's been training with us, up to speed with us and he gets an opportunity and is looking forward to his first cap."

Hill scored a try in the 2019 Six Nations victory against England but was ruled out of the rest of Wales' Grand Slam campaign because of an ankle problem.

The Dragons forward then missed the World Cup after failing to recover from a leg fracture and has been absent from the 2020 tournament so far because of a hamstring problem.

• Scotland make three changes

• Podcast: The Llandow air disaster

• Hadleigh Parkes column: A strange 'Super Saturday'

• Test your knowledge of Wales v Scotland

Ryan Elias, Rhys Carre and Leon Brown provide the front-row replacements, with Will Rowlands and Taulupe Faletau completing the forward contingent.

Gareth Davies, Jarrod Evans and Johnny McNicholl are the backline cover.

Captain Marvel

Alun Wyn Jones made his Wales debut in 2006 against Argentina

Pivac was full of praise for his record equalling captain Jones.

"You just need to speak to anybody he plays against and they'll tell you what it's like to play against him," said Pivac.

"They hold him in high regard. I've seen first-hand what Alun Wyn does, not only on the field but in terms of training and our environment, in terms of his leadership off the field. It's just huge.

"At training, the whistle blows and we'll shift from one drill to another and he's up and sprinting, the first guy there every single time.

"Then you see in a game, when he gets up of the ground, he's gone. He's the ultimate professional. Every country will have someone who they will say is the ultimate professional and in Wales he is that guy.

"Equalling the record will be a proud moment for him and, all being well, he'll break that record and that will be an even prouder moment."

Wales team to face Scotland

Halfpenny; North, Tompkins, Parkes, L Williams; Biggar, Webb; W Jones, Owens, John, Hill, AW Jones (capt), J Navidi, Moriarty, J Tipuric.

Replacements: R Elias, R Carre, Brown, Rowlands, Faletau, G Davies, J Evans, J McNicholl.

For the latest Welsh rugby union news follow @BBCScrumV on Twitter.