Russell missed that match with an injury, but is fit to return to form a new half-back unit with Ali Price. The other changes to the starting XV see Darcy Graham earn his first start on the wing in place of the injured Sean Maitland and Edinburgh prop Willem Nel return to the tight head after recovering from a calf injury.
Price’s elevation sees Greig Laidlaw move to the bench and means the captain’s armband goes to Edinburgh hooker Stuart McInally for the third time.
It will be a red letter game for the Glasgow Warriors pair, Jonny Gray and Tommy Seymour, who will both win their 50th caps. It will also be a 50th start for Seymour, who made his debut against South Africa in the summer of 2013, while it will be an early birthday present for Gray, who turns 25 five days after the game.
Wales have won 10 of the last 11 games against the Scots, including a 21-10 victory in Cardiff at the start of the Under Armour Series in November. The last Scottish win came at Murrayfield two years ago.
A fourth successive victory of the campaign would set-up a shot at the Triple Crown and Grand Slam against Ireland at Principality Stadium next week in what will be Warren Gatland’s final Six Nations game in charge of Wales.
“While there have been some strong moments in our games this campaign, we have yet to deliver that quality and focus for 80 minutes and play to our potential.
“We have had a couple of weeks since our defeat in Paris to look at ways we can improve our performances, through what we do in training, our tactical approach and through selection,” said Townsend.
“Wales have a very good record against us and are in excellent form. It’s a similar challenge to the one we faced last year against England, who had also been on a very good run of results in their preceding games.
“We rose to the challenge that day and found a way to win and I firmly believe we can reach that level of performance once again on Saturday.”
Scotland Team v Wales
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
13. Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors)
12. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
11. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh)
10. Finn Russell (Racing 92)
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
1. Allan Dell (Edinburgh)
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh, Captain)
3. Willem Nel (Edinburgh)
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh)
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
6. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh)
7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)
8. Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks)
Replacements
16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
17. Gordon Reid (London Irish)
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh)
20. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)
21. Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne)
22. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors)
23. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks)
