Head coach Gregor Townsend has made five changes to the Scotland team for the Autumn Nations Cup Pool B decider against France on Sunday.

Jamie Ritchie passed the return-to-play protocols after a head injury against Italy and starts in the back row.

He is joined there by Matt Fagerson, who replaces Blade Thomson at number eight having recovered from injury.

Fraser Brown is also back after a head knock and replaces Stuart McInally at hooker to form a new front row alongside Glasgow prop Oli Kebble and Simon Berghan of Edinburgh, with Rory Sutherland ruled out with an ankle problem.

Prop Jamie Bhatti makes his matchday return for the first time since last summer as he is named among the substitutes.

Wing Sean Maitland also returns having been omitted from the squad after a Covid-19 protocol breach while with the Barbarians.

Maitland’s Saracens team-mate Duncan Taylor is back for the first time since last year’s World Cup and is on the bench.

Duncan Weir continues at fly-half in the absence of injured duo Finn Russell and Adam Hastings.

Scotland focussed on potential final

After their final match with Fiji was called off earlier on Friday, a win for Scotland against France at Murrayfield would in all probability secure top spot in Pool B after they beat Italy 28-17 in their opener last week.

Although the outcome of the cancelled clash with Fiji is yet to be determined, France and Italy were both awarded 28-0 victories in the same circumstances.

Townsend’s side are aiming for a sixth consecutive Test win for only the third time ever, and the first since 1990, but the head coach says the team is not focussed on records.

“The opportunity is about winning this game and what that would mean to this group in terms of getting into the final to play for first or second in a couple of weeks’ time,” he said.

“We know what a challenge France are going to bring – one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the world right now, so that’s all we’re thinking about.”

No Ntamack for France

France have travelled to Edinburgh without star fly-half Romain Ntamack, who is missing with a thigh injury.

Bordeaux’s Matthieu Jalibert, 22, will make only his second start in his place in one of eight changes made by coach Fabien Galthie.

Thomas Ramos returns at full-back for the injured Anthony Bouthier and Gael Fickou moves to centre to make way for Teddy Thomas returning on the wing.

France are looking to end a run of four successive defeats at Murrayfield, having lost 28-17 in the Six Nations in March to ruin their Grand Slam hopes. Their last win in Edinburgh was in 2014.

The teams

Scotland: Hogg (c); Kinghorn, Harris, Johnson, Van der Merwe, Weir, Price; Kebble, Brown, Berghan; Cummings, Gray; Ritchie, Watson, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Turner, Bhatti, Z Fagerson, Skinner, Thomson, Hidalgo-Clyne, Taylor, Maitland.

France: Ramos; Thomas, Vakatawa, Fickou, Rattez; Jalibert, Dupont; Gros, Chat, Bamba; Le Roux, Taofifenua; Cretin, Ollivon (c), Alldritt

Replacements: Marchand, Baille, Haouas, Willemse, Woki, Couilloud, Carbonel, Vincent