Scotland Six Nations squad: teenage contender, uncapped hooker option and back-row talent glut

Injuries, as ever, will play a part and Edinburgh’s Duhan van der Merwe, Ewan Ashman, Grant Gilchrist, D’arcy Rae, Luke Crosbie and Marshall Sykes are among those nursing ailments with varying degrees of seriousness.

Townsend picked a squad of 37 for last year’s championship and it will be a similar size this time around as the Scots embark on a campaign which, after the Rome opener on February 7, continues with the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield on February 14, Wales away on February 21, France at home on March 7 and Ireland away on March 14.

Here’s how Townsend’s squad could look:

Props

Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson remain out in front as first choices at loosehead and tighthead, respectively, but there’s a new kid on the block in the latter role. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty is only 19 but has broken into the Edinburgh side this season, starting all four of their games in the Champions Cup. Much is expected of the teenager and Townsend may view this as a chance to integrate him into the squad and allow him to experience the Six Nations at close quarters.

D’arcy Rae started three of the four autumn internationals while Fagerson was sidelined but is currently nursing an ankle injury and has not played since the Argentina game. Elliot Millar Mills and Will Hurd are the other tighthead options.

The back-up for Schoeman at loosehead is likely to come from Rory Sutherland. Nathan McBeth is currently out with a calf injury but could return in time.

Hookers

Glasgow’s stunning form in Europe should help catapult the uncapped Gregor Hiddleston into the Scotland squad. Ewan Ashman was first-choice in the autumn but went off with a neck spasm in the first half of Edinburgh’s heavy defeat by Bath on Friday.

Harlequins’ George Turner is in the frame after missing last year’s Six Nations while playing in Japan but Paddy Harrison is likely to miss out due to a back issue. Harri Morris, another Edinburgh hooker, was capped in the autumn but his throwing has been a little wayward.

Much will depend on Ashman’s neck but he is likely to be first choice in Rome if fit.

Second row

The long-running combination of Scott Cummings and Grant Gilchrist is under threat due to the latter’s quad injury. The 84-times capped Gilchrist has not played since the 1872 Cup games but should return for Edinburgh before the Six Nations begins.

His Edinburgh team-mate Marshall Sykes is out with a torn bicep but there are strong second-row options elsewhere, not least Cam Henderson who has been regular starter for Leicester this season, and Glasgow pair Max Williamson and Alex Craig. Bordeaux’s Jonny Gray is also an option.

Another Warrior, Gregor Brown, is nailed on for a place and has the ability to cover second and back row.

Back row

Arguably the most intriguing part of the squad due to the competition. The Glasgow trio of Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey have been mainstays in Townsend’s squad and are guaranteed places but there is now a threat from the east.

Edinburgh have been very up and down this season but Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas have been excellent and are both worthy of inclusion. McConnell is only 21 but is now a fixture in the Edinburgh side. Douglas’ ability to win turnovers is priceless and has already been noted as a “super-strength” by Townsend.

Jamie Ritchie’s time in France with Perpignan has not been easy but he has been playing well despite his team’s travails at the lower end of the Top 14.

Townsend is also a big admirer of Saracens’ Andy Onyeama-Christie and with so much competition in the back row it could be that Magnus Bradbury, Alex Masibaka and Dylan Richardson miss out, although the latter's ability to also play hooker works in his favour.

Scrum-half

Another area of strength and it’s hard to see past Toulon’s Ben White and Glasgow pair George Horne and Jamie Dobie. White’s been in good form in France while Horne and Dobie have excelled for the Warriors.

Horne was man of the match against Saracens; Dobie now looks equally comfortable playing on the wing and is solid under the high ball.

Stand-off

Finn Russell continues to propel Bath to new heights and will carry the Scotland baton into his 12th Six Nations.

Back-up comes from Bristol’s Tom Jordan, who can also play at full-back and centre, and either Adam Hastings or Fergus Burke. Montpellier-bound Hastings has been in fine form for Glasgow but has missed out in recent weeks with a knee injury

Centre

Losing Sione Tuipulotu on the eve of last season’s Six Nations was a crushing blow but the Glasgow centre is back firing on all cylinders and looks set to lead Scotland into the championship.

Huw Jones, his centre side-kick, has played only twice since the Lions tour after surgery on a long-standing Achilles issue but has looked sharp enough. Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall should provide cover which might mean Cam Redpath misses out again.

Wings

Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe are Scotland’s leading two try-scorers of all time for the men’s team but neither has been on top form. Van der Merwe has also been hampered by hip and calf injuries.

Kyle Steyn is the form winger in Scotland currently and, as noted previously, Dobie has also been excelling in that department. A third Glasgow man, Kyle Rowe, is equally comfortable at wing or full-back.

Full-back

Blair Kinghorn has started at 10 for Toulouse in their last two Champions Cup games but is likely to be back at 15 for Scotland in Rome on February 7. The former Edinburgh man has a good record against Italy, scoring hat-tricks against them in the Six Nations in 2019 and 2023.

Ollie Smith is likely to provide back-up, with Rowe and Jordan also able to step in.

Scotland’s possible Six Nations squad

Forwards: Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Nathan McBeth, Zander Fagerson, D’arcy Rae, Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, Ewan Ashman, George Turner, Gregor Hiddleston, Scott Cummings, Grant Gilchrist, Max Williamson, Cam Henderson, Alex Craig, Gregor Brown, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Jamie Ritchie, Liam McConnell, Freddy Douglas, Dylan Richardson.

Backs: Ben White, George Horne, Jamie Dobie, Finn Russell, Tom Jordan, Adam Hastings, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Rory Hutchinson, Kyle Steyn, Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe, Blair Kinghorn, Ollie Smith, Kyle Rowe.