Scotland have named a 37-man squad for the upcoming Nations Championship tests against New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Head coach Gregor Townsend confirmed the selection on Monday, with Newcastle Falcons flanker Ollie Leatherbarrow the only uncapped player included.
Leatherbarrow, 24, qualifies for Scotland through his grandmother from Perth and has represented the nation at age-grade levels. His inclusion is the sole new face in a group that welcomes back several experienced players from injury, including wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe and back-rower Jamie Ritchie. Veteran lock Grant Gilchrist is a notable omission.
The squad is split into 21 forwards and 16 backs, with Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu confirmed as captain. A significant 19 of the selected players are from the Glasgow Warriors club. The full list of backs includes Finn Russell, Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones and Kyle Steyn. The forwards feature the Fagerson brothers, Zander and Matt, Jack Dempsey, and Rory Darge.
Dempsey’s inclusion comes despite his recent move to Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus, which will make him unavailable for next year’s Six Nations championship. Townsend explained his selection process, stating he had "postponed naming his squad to offer the opportunity for candidates to prove their form in United Rugby Championship fixtures."
Alongside Gilchrist, Edinburgh pair Freddy Douglas and Magnus Bradbury have been left out despite being involved in the summer leg of the competition and strong club form this season. Their absence shows the depth available to Townsend for the three-test series at Murrayfield.
The announcement comes as Scotland look to build momentum following a mixed run of recent results. Their last outing was a 2-1 defeat to Slovenia on 6 October, part of a sequence of one win, one draw and two losses from their last four matches. The team's current form sees them averaging just 1.5 goals per match while conceding an average of 2.5. They will be looking to improve on their recent defensive record of 10 goal minutes conceded per match during this key November window.
The Nations Championship campaign begins with the marquee fixture against New Zealand at Murrayfield on 7 November. Scotland will then host Australia on 15 November and Japan on 21 November, with all home games played at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium. Tuipulotu, who has captained Scotland 15 times in his 41 caps, will lead the side throughout the November series.
Read the full report at Straits Times Sport
