The 25-year-old will make his first Scotland appearance for 11 months when he dons the dark blue jersey against Italy on Saturday.

Taylor has struggled to return to full fitness following knee ligament damage sustained in the final RBS Six Nations game against Ireland in Dublin last year.

But, after a weeklong loan at Saracens of the Zurich Premiership and a Celtic League run-out with Edinburgh Gunners last week, Taylor is ready to represent the Scots again.

However, the inclusion of the back row forward has come at a price with flanker Jason White forced out of the wooden spoon clash with a knee injury.

Taylor will slot into the place of the Sale Sharks man as Williams prepares for a must win game.

Scotland are looking at the wrong end of a second successive RBS Six Nations whitewash after defeat by France and Ireland.

While Scotland impressed in Paris, the defeat by the awesome Irish was disappointing bar a stirring opening 10 minutes.

Questions are even being asked over Williams' position after just two Test wins during his tenure.

The Australian has dismissed comparisons with former Scotland Football Boss Berti Vogts but defeat to Italy would undoubtedly raise further speculation.

Italy, meanwhile, are looking to avoid sixth place in the table after losses inflicted by Ireland and Wales.

John Kirwan's team put up a commendable display in their opening day 28-17 defeat by the Irish in Rome. But the Welsh loss was a sore one for the Azzuri.

Now, with England unlikely to end the series at the bottom of the pile, the Italians know a win a Murrayfield will secure a notable triumph in their short RBS Six Nations history.

Scotland:

C Paterson (Edinburgh); S Webster (Edinburgh), A Craig (Glasgow), H Southwell
(Edinburgh), S Lamont (Glasgow); D Parks (Glasgow), C Cusiter (The Borders); T
Smith (Northampton), G Bulloch (Glasgow, capt), G Kerr (Leeds), S Grimes
(Newcastle), S Murray (Edinburgh), S Taylor (Edinburgh), A Hogg (Edinburgh), J
Petrie (Glasgow)

Replacements: R Russell (London Irish), B Douglas (The Borders), N Hines
(Edinburgh), J Dunbar (Leeds), M Blair (Edinburgh), G Ross (Leeds), B
Hinshelwood (Worcester).

Italy:

R de Marigny (Parma); Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), C Stoica
(Montpellier), A Masi (Viadana), L Nitoglia (Calvisano); L Orquera (Padova), A
Troncon (Treviso); A Lo Cicero (L'Aquilla), F Ongaro (Treviso), M Castrogiovanni
(Calvisano), S Dellape (Agen), M Bortolami (Narbonne, capt), A Persico (Agen), D
dal Maso (Treviso), S Parisse (Treviso).

Replacements: G Intoppa (Calvisano), S Perugini (Calvisano), CA Del Fava
(Parma), S Orlando (Treviso), P Griffen (Calvisano), R Pedrazzi (Viadana), K
Robertson (Viadana).