Scotland Six Nations squad: 132-year first, exciting Edinburgh full-back, Lions trio dropped, Sale duo of interest

In freshening up his squad after a disappointing World Cup, Gregor Townsend has sprung a couple of surprises, recruited a promising young native talent and axed some mainstays from his seven-year reign as Scotland coach.

Alec Hepburn, playing for England, prepares to scrummage against South Africa at Twickenham in 2018. Hepburn was capped six times by England but is now part of Scotland's Six Nations squad. (Photo: Patrick Khachfe/JMP/Shutterstock)

The 39-man selection for the 2024 Six Nations includes four uncapped players (by Scotland, at least) and recalls for those such as Adam Hastings and Rory Hutchinson whose last taste of Test rugby came a couple of seasons ago.

Uncapped quartet with contrasting back stories

Edinburgh's Harry Paterson is tackled by Gloucester's Louis Rees-Zammit during the EPCR Challenge Cup match at Hive Stadium. Paterson has been called into Scotland's Six Nations squad. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

One of the new boys is quite old, and a former England international to boot, even though he was born in Perth, Australia. Alec Hepburn, the Exeter Chiefs loosehead prop, made his Test debut during the 2018 Six Nations Championship and went on to win six caps for England, qualifying on residency grounds. But his father is Scottish and the 30-year-old is now able to take advantage of the change in eligibility rules which allow a player to switch allegiance after a three-year cooling off period.

Hepburn could now become the first player since James Marsh in 1892 to play Test matches for England and Scotland as Townsend admitted that nationality was now “a fluid concept”.

“Ideally, we’d be producing more players that come through the Scottish pathway but it’s never been as straightforward as that,” said the coach. “A lot of Scots travel, a lot of Scots bring their families up outside of Scotland and they’re proud when their lads and girls play for Scotland, so we’ve got to make sure we’re aware of these players who are dual qualified.

“Someone like Alec Hepburn wasn’t English qualified. He qualified on residency. He’s got a Scottish father, was brought up in Australia but finished schooling in England and after a few years became involved with the England set-up. I’m delighted he’s now with us. He’s at a good age for a loosehead prop and can go straight in and play Test level.”

Will Hurd, centre, in action for Leicester Tigers. The prop has been included in Scotland's 2024 Six Nations squad. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

There is another new prop in the shape of Will Hurd, the 24-year-old Leicester Tigers tighthead who was born in Ashby, Leicestershire, but was capped by Scotland at under-20 level. “He has played regularly for Leicester this year,” said Townsend. “He played Scotland under-20s and was on Glasgow’s books two years ago for a a short period and we have been impressed with him this year. He is solid at scrum time, hits hard in defence.”

As expected, there is a call-up for Sale Sharks winger Arron Reed, the Chester-born former England U20 cap whose father, Allan, is Scottish. “He brings real energy,” said Townsend. “He’s a player in form, he works hard on the field and he’s got outstanding pace.”

The inclusion of Edinburgh’s promising full-back Harry Paterson was more of a surprise, if only because he has played just seven games for his club. The 22-year-old impressed Townsend in the away win over Ulster and the loss to Clermont in France. “He fronted up with his kick chase, his tackling and his energy in a very tough environment,” said the coach.

Three Test Lions left out of squad

The injection of new blood inevitably meant players had to be discarded and there is no place for Lions Test trio Hamish Watson, Chris Harris and Rory Sutherland. Dave Cherry also drops out and Javan Sebastian is missing through injury.

Watson’s omission is the most startling. Capped 59 times by Scotland and a former Six Nations player of the tournament, the 32-year-old flanker finds himself excluded but Townsend was adamant it was not the end of his Test career.

“No, I don’t believe that’s the case,” he said. “It was the same conversation with Chris Harris who’s a year older than Hamish. We’ll select on how players are playing and who they’re competing with as well. Hamish when he came back into the Edinburgh team he played well and had two really good games. He maybe didn’t play as well in the first game against Glasgow but it’s more the level of performances we’ve seen from the likes of Andy Christie and Luke Crosbie. They’ve been really good this year. And when you’re competing as opensides we need to make sure we have a blend of players who can play No 8 and lineout forwards in our squad too. Hamish is good enough to play Test rugby tomorrow so maybe this disappointment will have a positive effect as well and he’ll go for it in the one game before the break for Edinburgh and put pressure on that selection. But physically Hamish has a lot of rugby left in him.”

Comeback kids

Andy Christie is one of a number of players returning to the squad after the World Cup. The flanker missed the tournament through injury but his form this season for Saracens has caught Townsend’s eye. Fellow back-rower Josh Bayliss, of Bath, is also back, as is Glen Young, the lock, who has been one of Edinurgh’s most consistent performers this season and has not played for Scotland since the home win over Argentina in November 2022.

Rory Hutchinson’s international exile has been longer, with the Northampton centre’s last cap coming on the tour to South America in summer that year.

“Rory Hutchinson has really come through in the last month,” said Townsend. “He missed about six weeks with injury. So he’s had to compete hard to get into the Northampton team, and since he’s been back in that team he’s performed really well.”

Adam Hastings also returns, having last been capped in the win over Fiji in 2022. He’s had a torrid time with injuries since but impressed in Gloucester’s win over Edinburgh at the weekend.

Injury worries ease around key trio

Glasgow Warriors trio Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey and Kyle Steyn are all included despite limited involvement recently due to serious injuries. Dempsey and Steyn are in line to make their return on Friday in Glasgow’s Champions Cup clash with Toulon. Dempsey needed surgery on his skull while Steyn has been missing with an ankle issue.

The European tie will come too soon for Darge but Townsend didn’t rule out the flanker recovering from a knee injury in time for the Six Nations opener against Wales on February 3. “Friday will be the three-week mark from his injury and there will be a series of tests which get conducted then,” said the coach. So, we’ll have a clearer picture this weekend on whether he is a chance for the opening weekend.”

Townsend not giving up on Warr and Roebuck

Having persuaded Reed to commit to Scotland, Townsend hasn’t given up hope of convincing the winger’s Sale team-mates Gus Warr and Tom Roebuck to follow suit. “I’ve chatted to Gus and Tom over a number of weeks. They are players of interest for us who are playing regularly for clubs. They will be people that we watch and give feedback to. They’re not in our squad right now for different reasons. The ones we have in the squad are the ones we believe in.”

He was less optimistic about Northampton’s dual-qualified duo Fin Smith and Fraser Dingwall, and one or both is likely be in England’s Six Nations squad when it is named on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Cardiff's Jacob Beetham and Rhys Litterick remain of interest to Scotland. “Again these are players who are dual-qualified and not in the Wales squad,” said Townsend. “I’d imagine they’ll continue talking to Wales and we are certainly watching and giving them feedback from a Scottish perspective as well.”

Scotland Six Nations squad & fixtures

Forwards: Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh (12 caps), Josh Bayliss – Bath (5), Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34), Andy Christie – Saracens (4), Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh (7), Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (33), Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (15), Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (15), Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh (68), Richie Gray – Glasgow Warriors (78), Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (40), Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (62), Alec Hepburn – Exeter Chiefs (uncapped), Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (uncapped), Johnny Matthews – Glasgow Warriors (1), WP Nel – Edinburgh (61), Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh (46), Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh (26), Sam Skinner – Edinburgh (30), George Turner – Glasgow Warriors (40), Glen Young – Edinburgh (3).

Backs: Adam Hastings – Gloucester (27), Ben Healy – Edinburgh (4), George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (26), Darcy Graham – Edinburgh (39), Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (8), Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (43), Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (50), Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (1), Harry Paterson – Edinburgh (uncapped), Ali Price – Edinburgh (66), Cameron Redpath – Bath (9), Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (uncapped), Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (1), Finn Russell – Bath (75), Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (15), Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (22), Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh (34), Ben White – Toulon (18).

Fixtures: 3 Feb: Wales (a); 10 Feb: France (h); 24 Feb: England (h); 9 Mar: Italy (a); 16 Mar: Ireland (a).