Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau out of Wales side

The trio boast 342 Wales caps and 18 Lions Test appearances between them.

Lock Jones, who failed a head injury assessment against Ireland last weekend but was ruled available for selection, and flanker Tipuric are not in the matchday 23 for Murrayfield, while number eight Faletau has to be content with a bench spot.

Alun Wyn Jones was available but has been overlooked (David Davies/PA)

They represent huge selection calls by Gatland following Ireland’s dominant 34-10 victory in Cardiff.

Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins replaces Jones, with his Chiefs colleague Christ Tshiunza packing down at blindside flanker in a reshaped back row that sees Leicester’s Tommy Reffell taking the number seven shirt off Tipuric and Jac Morgan switching to number eight instead of Faletau.

Lock Jones was cleared to add to his world record 168 Test match appearances in Wales and Lions colours despite going off during the second half against Ireland.

But Gatland has handed 20-year-old Jenkins a first international start alongside second-row partner Adam Beard, with 21-year-old Tshiunza also making a full Test bow.

Two other changes see Scarlets prop Wyn Jones recalled instead of Gareth Thomas, while tighthead Dillon Lewis replaces Tomas Francis, with Gatland retaining the back division that started against Ireland.

Jones, who will be 38 later this year, misses out to a player 17 years his junior, but one who has already captained Exeter in the Gallagher Premiership.

Tshiunza, meanwhile, offers a ball-carrying presence and a considerable lineout option, with that critical set-piece department having proved a major problem area during the Ireland defeat.

Faletau apart, changes among the replacements include opportunities for uncapped Ospreys lock Rhys Davies, Dragons prop Leon Brown and Scarlets back Rhys Patchell.

Wales have won on six of their last seven trips to Edinburgh, but they will encounter a Scotland side fresh from defeating England at Twickenham last time out.

Warren Gatland has rung the changes (Nigel French/PA)

Gatland said: “We’ve made some changes but tried to keep some continuity with the same backline.

"Wyn has been working really hard in the last three weeks in camp and he gets an opportunity.

"Then Dafydd Jenkins comes into the second row, looking a bit to the future. Christ Tshiunza as well. We’re looking at options at eight if Toby Faletau picks up an injury who’s going to cover there, so Jac gets that chance.

“We thought we created opportunities last week but we weren’t clinical enough in terms of finishing off some of those chances.

"We need to start better. We gave away some stupid penalties and unforced penalties when we weren’t really under a lot of pressure so that’s again been an area that we’ve spoken about.

"We’ve tried to focus on the positives and the things that we can address ourselves.

“Scotland have some experience in that squad, so it’s going to be a great encounter and it’s a good test of the improvements that we can make from the things that we need to tidy up from last week.”

On Rhys Davies potentially making his debut from the bench Gatland added:

“He’s a big man, physical man and he gets his chance. I was delighted with the players afterwards when we named the team.

"Obviously there were some changes, but I just thought the rest of the boys were absolutely brilliant in terms of congratulating people you know for Rhys sitting on the bench and for other players getting a start. To me that was a real positive in the squad.”

Wales senior men’s team to face Scotland in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 11 February KO 4.45pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.

15. Liam Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 82 caps)

14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 45 caps)

13. George North (Ospreys – 110 caps)

12. Joe Hawkins (Ospreys – 2 caps)

11. Rio Dyer (Dragons – 4 caps)

10. Dan Biggar (Toulon – 104 caps)

9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 41 caps)

1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets – 45 caps)

2. Ken Owens (Scarlets – 87 caps) captain

3. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 46 caps)

4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 2 caps)

5. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 42 caps)

6. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – 3 caps)

7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 5 caps)

8. Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 7 caps)

Replacements

16. Scott Baldwin (Ospreys – 35 caps)

17. Rhys Carre (Cardiff Rugby – 18 caps)

18. Leon Brown (Dragons – 22 caps)

19. Rhys Davies (Ospreys – uncapped)

20. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 96 caps)

21. Rhys Webb (Ospreys – 37 caps)

22. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets – 21 caps)

23. Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 56 caps)