Kicking ability earns Ross the nod over veteran Townsend
McGeechan chose the Leeds Tykes' number 10 ahead of veteran Townsend, but admitted Edinburgh's Brendan Laney had also come in for consideration.
McGeechan said: "It was Gordon's kicking game which gave him the edge over Gregor. It's up to Gordon now how he handles it, but we want to give him a run because he has been consistent at Leeds and we want to be fair to our player.
"Gordon didn't do anything wrong in the autumn Tests and we'll give him another chance.
"It was a significant temptation to play Brendan at number 10 because he's been playing well, and that has been reflected in the amount of tries scored by Edinburgh this season.
"Brendan is an influential player, he's important to us, which is why he'll be at number 12."
McGeechan explained the reintroduction of Kenny Logan to the side after the Wasps star had missed out in the autumn Tests was, like the rest of the selections, simply a matter of form.
He said: "Kenny's form over the last four to six weeks has been very good. He was hit and miss earlier in the
season but now he's very fit and has benefited from the regime at Wasps.
"Kenny will play on the right wing but he doesn't mind being there because he operates well and we have Chris Paterson on the left, and it was important to keep that continuity. But playing on the right shouldn't stop Kenny scoring down the left.
"But I've picked from players who are playing well for their clubs and playing with a lot of confidence. What we want is for them to bring that form into their Scottish performances."
This season's RBS Six Nations Championships will be McGeechan's last as coach but he admitted he had not yet thought about life after being in rugby's frontline.
"I actually thought 1993 would be my last season when I retired initially and I didn't anticipate coming back. But it's been a bonus being involved because I love rugby. But I haven't thought about it being my last Six Nations championship. I'll probably miss it more when I'm not involved."
Meanwhile, England last night
suffered a major blow when scrumhalf Matt Dawson was ruled out of
tomorrow's Six Nations Championship showdown with France.
Dawson, who would have won his 48th cap, in a key individual battle opposite French scrum-half and skipper Fabien Galthie, has not recovered from a calf injury.
Dawson's place in the starting lineup at Twickenham will be filled by Gloucester scrumhalf Andy
Gomarsall, who wins his 10th cap.
And the replacements' bench vacancy created by Gomarsall's promotion goes to 28-year-old uncapped Sale Sharks player Nick Walshe.
Gomarsall's last England start at Twickenham was almost six years ago when England lost 23-20 against France, after leading by 14 points
early in the second half.
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