Edinburgh Rugby prop Pierre Schoeman starts for Scotland in their Six Nations opener against England at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday as he looks to continue his Heineken Champions Cup form.

The 28-year-old has featured in 17 consecutive internationals since his debut in 2021 and was Heineken Star of the Match in Edinburgh’s crucial Round 4 win over Saracens just under a fortnight ago, earning him a place in the Team of the Week.

Edinburgh, who visit Leicester Tigers in the Round of 16 on March 31, have six representatives in the Scotland XV.

WP Nel joins Schoeman in the front row while Grant Gilchrist is at lock, Luke Crosbie is at openside flanker and Jamie Ritchie captains the team from blindside flanker.

Wing Duhan van der Merwe, who has featured just once for Edinburgh in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup amid an ankle problem, also starts.

Exeter Chiefs full-back Stuart Hogg is the final Heineken Champions Cup player in the starting side, with his clubmate Jonny Gray, Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn and Gloucester Rugby’s Chris Harris among the replacements.