Who is Chris Harris, Scotland's starting centre against Wales?

With just 21 minutes of international rugby under his belt, new Scotland centre Chris Harris has been pitched in for a testing NatWest Six Nations Championship debut away to Wales on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, who stands at just under 6ft2ins and weighs in at 16 stones, has been selected at outside centre for Scotland’s opening match of the championship at the Millennium Stadium, after earning his first cap as a replacement against Samoa at BT Murrayfield last year. Harris replaced winger Tommy Seymour with 21 minutes of the match remaining, and Scotland leading by 32-17. But it was a nervy international debut for the Carlisle-born former England Counties player, as Scotland conceded three converted tries in the last 17 minutes but kept their noses ahead to win the match 44-38. He missed out on selection for the matchday squad of 23 for the subsequent internationals with New Zealand and Australia.

Harris started his senior career by combining his studies at Northumbria University with rugby at the Falcons Academy and National League One side Tynedale RFC, graduating to the England Counties squad for a tour of Belgium in 2013.

Chris Harris has been named in the Scotland starting XV to face Wales. Picture: Getty

His first full-time season with Newcastle Falcons was in 2013-14, during which he continued to represent Tynedale through dual registration.

The following season, he remained with Newcastle Falcons but was dual registered with Championship side Rotherham Titans, where he impressed before being recalled to Kingston Park, where he became Academy Player of the Season in 2014-15. Although he was injured for part of the 2016-17 campaign, he was a regular fixture in the Falcons team, and was called into the Scotland senior squad for the autumn internationals after catching the eye of new coach Gregor Townsend. Harris qualifies for the national team through his Edinburgh-born grandmother.