Scotland name Six Nations squad: recall for Matt Scott

Scotland's Matt Scott in action against Japan's Yu Tamura. Picture: Gary Hutchison/SNS/SRU

Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has named a 37-man squad for the RBS Six Nations and there is a recall for centre Matt Scott.

Gloucester’s Scott missed out on selection for the autumn Tests but has earned a recall thanks to a number of impressive performances for his club, scoring 12 tries in 18 games this season.

There are two uncapped players in Cotter’s squad: Edinburgh forwards Simon Berghan (prop) and Cornell Du Preez (back-row).

Du Preez, 25, became eligible to represent Scotland last year after completing three years of residency.

New Zealand-born Berghan, 26, joined Edinburgh in 2013 and is eligible to represent Scotland through his grandfather, Andrew Davidson, from Stirling. The 20st, 6ft 3in prop has made 24 appearances for the capital club.

Berghan and returning Newcastle Falcons’ tighthead Jon Welsh are among the seven props named in the squad, with the national team awaiting the results of a scan this evening that will confirm the availability of Edinburgh Rugby’s Willem Nel, who injured his neck in the club’s European Challenge Cup win over Harlequins on Saturday.

Edinburgh lock Ben Toolis has been added to the second-row selections.

In the backs, captain Greig Laidlaw, Ali Price and Henry Pyrgos are the options at scrum-half, while Edinburgh stand-off Duncan Weir wins a recall.

Peter Horne misses out through injury, as do David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Rory Hughes and Rory Sutherland.

SCOTLAND SIX NATIONS SQUAD

FORWARDS

PROP (7)

Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps

Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped

Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby) – 3 caps

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps

Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – 15 caps

Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps

Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons) – 11 caps

HOOKER (3)

Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps

Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 102 caps

Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – 9 caps

LOCK (5)

Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 28 caps

Richie Gray (Toulouse) – 60 caps

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 15 caps

Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps

Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) – 1 cap

BACK-ROW (7)

John Barclay (Scarlets) – 55 caps

Cornell Du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped

John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby) – 13 caps

Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps

Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps

Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps

Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 23 caps

BACKS

SCRUM-HALF (3)

Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 56 caps

Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap

Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps

STAND-OFF (2)

Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps

Duncan Weir (Edinburgh Rugby) – 23 caps

CENTRE (5)

Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps

Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps

Huw Jones (Stormers) – 3 caps

Matt Scott (Gloucester) – 36 caps

Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 18 caps

BACK-THREE (5)

Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 48 caps

Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) – 2 caps

Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 26 caps

Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 31 caps

Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 28 caps