Taylor is Scotland's well-kept secret

Simon Taylor returns to the Scotland team to face England as a weapon so secret, even his own captain is in the dark.

'I have not seen much of Simon,' said Andy Nicol yesterday. 'But I watched him play for Edinburgh Reivers against Northampton when I was commentating for television. He was breathtaking. He gave a truly unbelievable display.'

Even that glowing testimonial was trumped by coach John Rutherford whose 42 caps for his country coincided with perhaps the greatest era of Scottish back-row play. 'Simon is an outstanding talent, something very special indeed,' said Rutherford. 'I think that one day he will be ranked among the best - alongside people like David Leslie, John Jeffrey and Iain Paxton.'

Taylor, 21, a law student at Edinburgh University, came through the various age group and representative sides to earn his debut against the United States last Autumn. The No.8 also lined up against Australia before suffering a fractured hand which forced him to miss the start of the Six Nations Championship.

It is a measure of the regard in which Taylor is held that coach Ian McGeechan recalled him after only two games - an Anglo-Welsh league match against Swansea and the A international a fortnight ago. He replaces the unlucky Jon Petrie with Alan Bulloch coming in at centre to start an international in the same XV as his older brother Gordon for the first time. Taylor is aware of the potential surprise he may be able to provide as an unknown soldier. 'Maybe it is an advantage that England haven't seen me at all,' he said. 'I'm not in their thinking so hopefully I will maybe just creep up on them.' The prospect of Messrs Dallaglio, Hill and Back - arguably the most effective back row unit in world rugby - being taken by surprise sounds remote.

But Taylor does not sound overawed by the opposition. 'I presume England will be looking for revenge after last year,' he said of the shock 19-13 Scottish victory at Murrayfield.