Gregor Townsend will hand a Test debut to the 25-year-old Glasgow centre Sam Johnson at home against Italy on Saturday.
Gary Graham, the Newcastle flanker previously called up by England, and the Leicester hooker Jake Kerr could also win their first caps off the bench. The Edinburgh full-back Blair Kinghorn will start on the left wing.
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With Edinburgh resurgent under Richard Cockerill, Townsend has chosen to go with their tight five. The hooker Stuart McInally will squeeze in between the props Allan Dell and WP Nel, with Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist forming the second row.
The Exeter lock Sam Skinner will slot into the back row after showing he can fill in at flanker during his impressive introduction to the Scotland setup during the autumn. Ryan Wilson and Jamie Ritchie complete the back row.
Greig Laidlaw will partner the Racing 92 player Finn Russell in the half-backs, while the Australia-born Johnson, who qualifies on residency grounds after signing for Glasgow in 2015, lines up alongside Huw Jones in midfield.
Stuart Hogg will again provide an attacking threat from full-back as he slots in beside Kinghorn and Tommy Seymour in the back three.
Townsend said: “Italy have made life tough for Scotland in every Test match we’ve played. I remember that as a player, as a supporter and as a coach, and they were better than us in most of last season’s contest in Rome. They played with pace, were physical and we had to play really well in the final quarter to win.
“That performance and also the recent displays of Treviso are sharp reminders for our players that this will be a difficult fixture. Our challenge is to win the physical battle, which is a strength of Italian rugby. We will also have to bring energy and accuracy in order to get our campaign off to a winning start.”
Italy have recalled their captain, Sergio Parisse, to the side after injury. The 35-year-old No 8, who missed the November internationals, will make a record 66th Six Nations appearance, putting him one ahead of Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll who played 65 times in the tournament between 2000 and 2014.
Hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini is set to make his 100th Italy appearance while the coach, Conor O’Shea, will give an international debut to lock David Sisi. Sisi will become the 26th player to get his first cap in the Irishman’s two-and-a-half years in charge.