Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has unveiled a largely settled 40-player squad for the upcoming and vital 2026 Six Nations championship, with experienced forwards Dave Cherry and Jonny Gray earning notable recalls to bolster the national side.
Experienced Duo Return to Strengthen Pack
Hooker Dave Cherry, now playing for Vannes in France's ProD2, and lock Jonny Gray, of Union Bordeaux Bègles, have been brought back into the fold. Their inclusion adds significant depth and experience to Scotland's tight five options, with Cherry preferred over Glasgow's Gregor Hiddleston following his club move this season.
Glasgow Influence and Competitive Back Row
The squad features a strong contingent of 19 players from the in-form Glasgow Warriors, reflecting the club's impressive performances in both the United Rugby Championship and the Investec Champions Cup. Captain Sione Tuipulotu leads this group. Young Edinburgh flankers Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas are rewarded for their excellent club form with call-ups to a highly competitive back row, resulting in Andy Onyeama-Christie missing out.
Pressure and Potential for Townsend's Side
Gregor Townsend enters this Six Nations campaign under a degree of scrutiny, despite having renewed his contract last year. A second-half collapse against Argentina and a narrow defeat to New Zealand during the November internationals left a sense of underlying frustration. The success of Glasgow Warriors has only heightened expectations that this Scotland squad must now fulfil its considerable potential and mount a serious challenge for the Six Nations title.
Backline Depth and Playmaking Options
The squad boasts considerable depth in the backs. On the wings, Kyle Steyn and the versatile Jamie Dobie, who can also cover scrum-half, will provide strong competition for starters Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe. At fly-half, specialist cover for Finn Russell comes from Glasgow's Adam Hastings—who has agreed a move to Montpellier—and Saracens' Fergus Burke. Additional playmaking options include Tom Jordan of Bristol Bears and Blair Kinghorn of Toulouse, both of whom have operated regularly at number ten recently.
Tournament Opener and Key Fixtures
Scotland will begin their Six Nations campaign in Rome against Italy on Saturday, 7th February 2026. A week later, they host England at Murrayfield in the fiercely contested Calcutta Cup match, a fixture that always captures the imagination of the rugby public.
Scotland Squad for the 2026 Six Nations
Forwards: Ewan Ashman - Edinburgh Rugby (32), Josh Bayliss - Bath Rugby (14), Magnus Bradbury - Edinburgh Rugby (21), Gregor Brown - Glasgow Warriors (12), Dave Cherry – Vannes (16), Scott Cummings - Glasgow Warriors (45), Alex Craig - Glasgow Warriors (6), Rory Darge - Glasgow Warriors (34), Jack Dempsey - Glasgow Warriors (29), Freddy Douglas - Edinburgh Rugby (1), Matt Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors (59), Zander Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors (76), Grant Gilchrist - Edinburgh Rugby (84), Jonny Gray - Union Bordeaux Bègles (81), Nathan McBeth - Glasgow Warriors (5), Liam McConnell - Edinburgh Rugby (1), Elliot Millar Mills - Northampton Saints (11), D'arcy Rae - Edinburgh Rugby (5), Jamie Ritchie – Perpignan (61), Pierre Schoeman - Edinburgh Rugby (44), Rory Sutherland - Glasgow Warriors (46), George Turner – Harlequins (50), Max Williamson - Glasgow Warriors (9).
Backs: Fergus Burke – Saracens (3), Jamie Dobie - Glasgow Warriors (17), Darcy Graham - Edinburgh Rugby (50), Adam Hastings - Glasgow Warriors (35), George Horne - Glasgow Warriors (40), Rory Hutchinson - Northampton Saints (11), Huw Jones - Glasgow Warriors (58), Tom Jordan - Bristol Bears (12), Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (63), Stafford McDowall - Glasgow Warriors (16), Finn Russell - Bath Rugby (89), Kyle Rowe- Glasgow Warriors (16), Ollie Smith - Glasgow Warriors (12), Kyle Steyn - Glasgow Warriors (28), Sione Tuipulotu - Glasgow Warriors (33) – CAPTAIN, Duhan van der Merwe - Edinburgh Rugby (52), Ben White – Toulon (31).
