Scotland today recalled Currie hooker Graham Ellis to the squad which will face France at Murrayfield in their second Five Nations clash a week on Saturday.

Ellis has recently returned after injury to beef up the Edinburgh outfit's Tennents Premiership challenge and is back in the international fold after appearing in all four matches last season.

The other change to the 22 on duty for the 17-16 victory over Ireland in Dublin last Saturday sees New Zealand-born wing Shaun Longstaff drafted in for the first time in place of Leicester's Craig Joiner, who was forced off with a sprained ankle 15 minutes into the Lansdowne Road game and replaced by Tony Stanger.

Team manager Arthur Hastie stressed, however, that the decision to dispense with Joiner was a selectorial one, and that Longstaff's impressive show in the A team's victory in Ireland - where he scored a try in the first minute - had proved decisive.

"It was felt that Tony Stanger had played well enough having come on for Craig early in the match and that Shaun Longstaff has played well in the A team," said Hastie. "Shaun is a much better footballer in respect of his ability to read the game. Overall it was felt that he would give us a bit more impetus on the wing if he is in the team."

In reality, Longstaff is almost certain to start on the bench, where he can also provide cover at centre, with Stanger proving he is worth a starting berth with two tries for Hawick at Heriot's FP last night.

Ellis takes over from the uncapped Dundee High hooker Gavin Scott, and is also likely to be used from the bench if things go awry against the classy French front row.