GLASGOW Warriors trio Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour and Ryan Wilson have all been passed fit to play for Scotland against Italy in tomorrow’s final Six Nations game - but their team-mate Fraser Brown has been dropped to the bench.

Ross Ford comes in for Brown to edge ever closer to the record number of Test appearances for a Scot - this will be his 107th cap, just two shy of Chris Paterson’s record. The change at hooker is the only difference in the starting line-up from last week’s defeat by England, and there is just one change on the bench too, with Matt Scott coming in for the injured Mark Bennett. Full-back Hogg, winger Seymour and No 8 Wilson all had to go through head-injury-assessment protocols this week before being allowed to train, while stand-off Finn Russell was also carrying a knock from the Calcutta Cup match.

Scotland could finish second in the table for the first time since the Five Nations became six if they win and other results go their way, and that would be the ideal way for Vern Cotter to sign off after three years in charge. But the head coach insisted he has had no time this week to think about leaving on a high or to get nostalgic about his time in the post.

“I was probably sweating more on who I could put in it,” Cotter said when he was asked if he had felt emotional while selecting his last Scotland team. “We had a number of players who we weren’t sure would be able to take the field this weekend, and we couldn’t really name the team until this morning. So more a worry about whether we could put some of our key players out there, and it’s a bit of a relief that we’re able to name Ryan, Stuart and Tommy.

“We haven’t been able to do anything with a full team because of return-to-play protocols, while Finn Russell and Huw Jones had niggles in knees and ankles. So today was really the only day we’ve trained as a full team.

“We’ve obviously been through necessary line-out calls and defence. But, because it’s towards the end of the competition, rest and recovery becomes more important than trying anything new.”

Scotland will definitely finish second if they win with a bonus-point, Ireland lose to England, and Wales beat France without a bonus point. But Cotter insisted that securing a simple victory had to come first before they could think of running in enough tries to get all five points.

“First and foremost we want to win. If winning becomes a possibility or a probability, then we can look at a bonus point as well.”

Scotland (v Italy at Murrayfield tomorrow, 12.30pm, Glasgow Warriors unless stated): S Hogg; T Seymour, H Jones (Stormers), A Dunbar, T Visser (Harlequins); F Russell, A Price; G Reid, R Ford (Edinburgh), Z Fagerson, R Gray (Toulouse), J Gray, J Barclay (Scarlets), H Watson (Edinburgh), R Wilson. Substitutes: F Brown, A Dell, S Berghan (both Edinburgh), T Swinson, C du Preez (Edinburgh), H Pyrgos, D Weir (Edinburgh), M Scott (Gloucester).