Scotland summer rugby tour squad named as 45-cap forward returns from exile

The 45-times capped hooker has not played for the national side since leaving Glasgow Warriors to move to Japan to play for Kobelco Kobe Steelers at the end of the 2023-24 season. He was unavailable for Scotland duties due to the Japan Rugby League One schedule clashing with the Six Nations but has now agreed a deal to join Harlequins for next season.

Turner, 32, is joined in the 36-man squad by three uncapped players: stand-off Fergus Burke, back-rower Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson. Burke, the Saracens 10, and Masibaka, who plays in the French second tier for Soyaux Angoulême, were both involved in Six Nations squads this year but did not get any game-time.

Richardson, meanwhile, has forced his way into the reckoning at Glasgow Warriors. The tighthead prop started Saturday’s URC semi-final against Leinster in Dublin and has played nine times for the club since moving from Exeter Chiefs last summer.

The squad, which will be captained by Rory Darge, is far less experimental than that which toured the Americas last summer. On that occasion, head coach Gregor Townsend capped 11 new players.

There is an experienced core despite the absence of the Scotland players called up for the British & Irish Lions’ tour of Australia.

Andy Onyeama-Christie of Saracens makes a welcome return after recovering from injury and Matt Fagerson is also included despite missing the end of the season due to an ankle issue. Others returning after missing the Six Nations include Kyle Steyn, Adam Hastings, Cameron Redpath, Harry Paterson, Cameron Henderson and Max Williamson. But there is no place for Dave Cherry, Scotland’s starting hooker in all five Six Nations games.

The national side will leave for the southern hemisphere later this month to play three matches in July. The tour kicks off against the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei on Saturday, July 5. Scotland will then head to Suva to play Fiji on Saturday, July 12 at the HFC Bank Stadium. The tour will finish back in New Zealand where Scotland will take on Samoa at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, July 18.

Townsend has called in Fergus Pringle to his coaching group for the tour. Pringle, the Scotland Under-20 assistant coach, will serve as forwards coach for the national team, deputising for John Dalziel who will be with the British & Irish Lions this summer.

South-African born Pringle joined Hawick in 2003 before playing for Edinburgh Rugby as a second-row from 2004-08. He had stints as head coach at Boroughmuir and as assistant coach at Currie Chieftains before moving to Watsonians as head coach and leading them to the FOSROC Super Series championship in 2022. He has been with Scotland U20 since 2022.

Fergus Pringle said: “I’m really grateful for the opportunity. I have big shoes to fill, in place of JD (John Dalziel), but it’s a massive honour and something I’m really looking forward to.”

Scotland Skyscanner Pacific Tour Squad

Backs (15): Fergus Burke – Saracens (uncapped), Matt Currie - Edinburgh Rugby (4 caps), Jamie Dobie - Glasgow Warriors (12), Darcy Graham - Edinburgh Rugby (46), Adam Hastings - Glasgow Warriors (32), George Horne - Glasgow Warriors (36), Tom Jordan - Glasgow Warriors (8), Cameron Redpath – Bath Rugby (14), Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (13), Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (3), Arron Reed - Sale Sharks (3), Kyle Rowe - Glasgow Warriors (12), Ollie Smith - Glasgow Warriors (9), Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (23), Ben White – Toulon (29.

Forwards (21): Ewan Ashman - Edinburgh Rugby (27), Josh Bayliss - Bath Rugby (10), Gregor Brown - Glasgow Warriors (9), Matt Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors (55), Rory Darge - CAPTAIN - Glasgow Warriors (30), Grant Gilchrist - Edinburgh Rugby (80), Patrick Harrison - Edinburgh Rugby (3) , Cameron Henderson – Leicester Tigers (1), Alec Hepburn - Scarlets (4), Will Hurd - Leicester Tigers (8), Alexander Masibaka –Soyaux Angoulême XV Charente (uncapped), Nathan McBeth - Glasgow Warriors (2), Elliot Millar Mills - Northampton Saints (7), Ben Muncaster - Edinburgh Rugby (2), Andy Onyeama-Christie - Saracens (8), Fin Richardson - Glasgow Warriors (uncapped), Rory Sutherland - Glasgow Warriors (41), Marshall Sykes - Edinburgh Rugby (2), George Turner - Kobelco Kobe Steelers (45), Max Williamson - Glasgow Warriors (6), Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (59).