Luke Crosbie will win his third cap in Scotland's back row in the Six Nations opener against England at Twickenham.

Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu are in the midfield with British and Irish Lions centre Chris Harris on the bench.

Gregor Townsend has picked Ben White at scrum-half for Saturday's game with Lion Ali Price not even a replacement.

Townsend has opted for Kyle Steyn rather than Sean Maitland or Blair Kinghorn to fill in for the injured Darcy Graham on the right wing.

Former captain Stuart Hogg starts at full-back despite not playing for Exeter Chiefs since 24 December because of a heel injury.

Lions back row Watson, who suffered a concussion against New Zealand on 13 November, made his comeback for Edinburgh last weekend but is not included in Townsend's squad.

"It was a difficult selection. There are so many players in really good form - and we back form now, which means there are experienced players who have played a lot of rugby for us who have missed out," Townsend told Scottish Rugby.

"But we believe this is the strongest squad we can pick for this weekend and the players have been training really well.

"The players who have missed out on selection have shown real professionalism and competitiveness to raise the standard of our attack and defence."

The experienced Richie Gray and vice-captain Grant Gilchrist form the second row, with Jonny Gray on the bench.

Pierre Schoeman starts at loosehead prop in his 17th consecutive international since his debut in 2021, with WP Nel - who reached 50 caps in the November Tests - at tighthead and George Turner at hooker.

That means no place for Zander Fagerson, the Lions prop who has been sidelined since the start of December with a hamstring injury but who forwards coach John Dalziel said on Tuesday was available for selection.

George Horne and Kinghorn are the half-back cover on the replacements' bench, along with forwards Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, Simon Berghan and Jack Dempsey.

Scotland team: Hogg; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Nel; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (c), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Berghan, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.