The Edinburgh prop Geoff Cross will make his Scotland debut in his country's Six Nations opener against Wales after Euan Murray failed to recover from injury. The Northampton player has been unable to train all week with a damaged rib and has not made the 22 for Sunday's match at Murrayfield.

"Geoff first joined the squad during our tour of Argentina last summer, and we have every confidence in him," said the Scotland coach, Frank Hadden. "Having waited patiently through five games, it's great that he now has this opportunity. I have been referring recently to the growing strength in depth of the Scotland squad. The quality of the side we've chosen to play Wales is an excellent example of that."

There is no place in the team for Scotland's highest points-scorer, Chris Paterson, who is on the bench, and his Edinburgh team-mate Hugo Southwell starts at full-back instead. Simon Webster keeps his place on the right wing, while Glasgow's Thom Evans has not made the squad.

The Perpignan lock Nathan Hines (knee) is also injured, meaning Sale's Jason White – nominally a flanker – will start in the second row. "They continue to make slow but steady progress," said the team doctor, James Robson, of Hines and Murray's injuries. "It's too early at this stage to give an accurate prognosis of whether they will be available for selection next week."

Scotland team to play Wales: H Southwell (Edinburgh), S Webster (Edinburgh), B Cairns (Edinburgh), G Morrison (Glasgow), S Lamont (Northampton), P Godman, M Blair (capt), A Jacobsen (all Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), G Cross (Edinburgh), J White (Sale), J Hamilton (Edinburgh), A Hogg (Edinburgh), S Taylor (Stade Francais), J Barclay (Glasgow).

Replacements: D Hall (Glasgow), A Dickinson (Gloucester), K Brown (Glasgow), S Gray (Northampton), C Cusiter (Perpignan), C Paterson (Edinburgh), M Evans (Glasgow).