Wales coach Steve Hansen tonight threw a protective arm around his players as they arrived in Edinburgh for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams - Wales' third skipper in three games - will lead the wooden spoon candidates into battle.

Williams, a member of the 2001 Lions squad who toured Australia, has replaced injured skipper Jonathan Humphreys, whose captaincy comeback lasted just one match - against England last month - after he took over from Colin Charvis.

And Hansen, who is still clearly annoyed at what he believes was a harsh media verdict delivered on Charvis following an embarrassing defeat in Italy, does not want Williams or any other player suffering a similar fate.

"Colin has been consistently attacked from day one," said Hansen, after announcing two changes to his line-up from the 26-9 England defeat in calling up fly-half Stephen Jones and hooker Gareth Williams.

"Some people in the media don't like him for various reasons, and it has destroyed his playing ability. I don't want that to happen to anyone else.

"We thought about Colin for this game, but it wouldn't be fair to chuck him back in. He is not quite ready yet, although he will get some game time off the bench."

Williams, who has won 30 caps and made his Wales debut almost seven years ago, was the clear favourite to take leadership duties, once Humphreys withdrew.

Saturday's encounter will be his first at the helm, but there is every chance that he could end 2003 as Wales' World Cup captain.

"This is a great opportunity for Martyn," added Hansen, who insisted he had no idea who his World Cup skipper might be at this stage of a hectic year.

"I am sure that he will do an excellent job, and that he will be a Welsh captain for a long time when the time is right and he is ready for it. Martyn is well respected on and off the field - he leads by example.

"A third captain in three games is not an ideal situation, but that's where we are at. Martyn has been a unit leader in the team for quite some time, and now he gets the opportunity to step up."

The task for Williams will be to try and help Wales end a run of four successive Six Nations defeats.

With Ireland and France still on this season's agenda, then the prospect of a championship whitewash looms large unless they can achieve only their second victory in Edinburgh since 1985.

"It was a good performance against England, but we need a win now," said 27-year-old Williams.

"There is no reason why we can't carry our form on from the England game, but Scotland are in the same situation as us, having also lost their opening two matches. I am hoping that we get a positive result."

While Humphreys misses out on Murrayfield, he has still travelled to Edinburgh, where his motivational presence is bound to rub off on those around him, especially front-row replacement Williams, who wins a third cap following two appearances as a substitute.

Humphreys said: "My shoulder is not right, and to say that I am gutted would be an understatement.

"It could take another week, or even two, to clear up, but I am hoping it will be right by the time we play Ireland (on March 22).

"I will be with Wales in Edinburgh, and do everything I can to help the boys achieve the aim of getting a win."

Humphreys on the sidelines is not what Wales wanted, yet Llanelli ace Jones' return at fly-half provides tactical stability and goalkicking acumen.

Jones, who has scored more than 200 Test points, broke his thumb during a club game last month, and missed Wales' opening championship appointments with Italy and England.

He takes over from Pontypridd youngster Ceri Sweeney, an impressive debutant against England and whose chance will undoubtedly come again at some stage in the future.

Hansen said: "It was a difficult decision to leave Ceri out, and he is a bit unlucky to go from starting to being out of the 22.

"But Stephen is one of our most experienced and in-form players. He is a great tactician.

"If Stephen hadn't been available, then we would have picked Ceri to start. Ceri has accepted the situation, which says everything about the character of the young man."