Gregor Townsend names Scotland Six Nations squad ahead of Cardiff opener

Gregor Townsend has named his squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

The head-coach has included four uncapped players in the 39-man pool for the tournament that begins with a game against Wales in Cardiff on February 2.

Fifteen players from Glasgow Warriors have been included with 13 from Edinburgh Rugby and a further 11 who play for clubs outside Scotland.

Props Alec Hepburn and Will Hurd, winger Arron Reed and back-three operator Harry Paterson have all earned a first call-up to the national team.

Former England prop Hepburn of Exeter Chiefs qualifies through his Scottish father as does Sale Sharks flyer Reed.

Hepburn has now completed his three-year stand-down period, after earning three caps for England under Eddie Jones in 2018, and has switched allegiance.

Leicester Tigers player Hurd represented Scotland at under-20 level whilst Paterson, who can play both at wing and full-back, also played in the age-grade side and is a Scotland 7s cap.

Elsewhere the rest of the squad has much of a familiar look.

After facing Wales in Cardiff, Scotland host France and England at Murrayfield, before rounding off the 2024 Guinness Six Nations with trips to Rome, to face Italy, and in Dublin to meet Ireland.

Scotland finished third in last year’s edition with three wins, including a famous victory over England at Twickenham, and two defeats from their five games.