Scotland name uncapped duo in Six Nations squad amid shock omission as bridges mended with one star
Gregor Townsend has turned to New Zealand-born stand-off Fergus Burke to provide back-up to Finn Russell for the forthcoming Guinness Six Nations Championship.
The Saracens fly-half is one of two uncapped players in the 37-man Scotland squad which was announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe other new boy is Jack Mann, the 25-year-old Glasgow Warriors back-rower who came through a torrid time with injuries to impress this season for Franco Smith’s side.


There are also recalls for Dave Cherry and Jonny Gray, two stalwart forwards who have been absent from recent squads. Sione Tuipulotu will continue as captain.
But there is no place in the squad for Kyle Steyn, the Glasgow Warriors winger and captain, or for Edinburgh scrum-half Ali Price, who was part of the autumn squad and started against Fiji.
Burke, 25, was born on New Zealand’s North Island and is eligible for Scotland through his grandfather from Glasgow. He joined Saracens in the summer as a replacement for Owen Farrell after making his name in his homeland with Canterbury and the Crusaders.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe was also eligible for England but Townsend has moved to tie him to Scotland. He is one of three stand-offs in the squad, alongside Russell and Tom Jordan. It means there is no place for Ross Thompson, the Edinburgh No 10.


Cherry, 34, the Edinburgh hooker, has not played for Scotland since their opening game of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, against South Africa. His tournament came to an abrupt halt when he was concussed after falling down stairs in the team hotel.
He joins fellow hookers Ewan Ashman, Dylan Richardson and Patrick Harrison in Townsend’s selection. Johnny Matthews, the Glasgow Warriors No 2, has been left out again.
Gray, 30, has been sidelined by a serious knee issue and last featured for the national side against Italy in the final match of the 2023 Six Nations. Townsend wanted him as part of his autumn squad but the player preferred to stay with his new club, Bordeaux, and try to have more game-time after his long lay-off. This annoyed the national coach but bridges have clearly been mended and Gray is included despite a recent ankle injury.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad

The other locks in the squad are Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Marshall Sykes and Gregor Brown. The rest of the forwards comprise props Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Jamie Bhatti, Zander Fagerson, Will Hurd and D’Arcy Rae, and back-rowers Rory Darge, Jamie Ritchie, Luke Crosbie, Josh Bayliss, Jack Dempsey and Matt Fagerson.
There are three scrum-halves - Ben White, George Horne and Jamie Dobie - and five centres - Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Matt Currie and Rory Hutchinson. It means Tuipulotu’s younger brother, Mosese, has been left out after being part of Townsend’s autumn squad.
Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Kyle Rowe are the only back-three players named in the squad, with Steyn’s omission coming as a major surprise after picking up an injury, although there are hopes he can return during the tournament, possibly for the England game.
Scotland open their Six Nations campaign against Italy at home on February 1. They then play Ireland at Murrayfield on February 9, England at Twickenham on February 22, Wales at Murrayfield on March 8 and France at the Stade de France on March 15.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdScotland squad for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations (caps in brackets):
Forwards (22)
Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (22)
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (10)
Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (35)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (4)
Dave Cherry – Edinburgh Rugby (11)
Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (12)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (42)
Rory Darge – Vice-Captain – Glasgow Warriors (25)
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (22)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (50)
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (70)
Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (75)
Jonny Gray – Bordeaux Bègles (77)
Patrick Harrison – Edinburgh Rugby (3)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (4)
Jack Mann – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
D’Arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
Dylan Richardson – The Sharks (6)
Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (54)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (37)
Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (37)
Marshall Sykes – Edinburgh Rugby (1)
Backs (15)
Fergus Burke – Saracens (uncapped)
Matt Currie – Edinburgh Rugby (4)
Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (9)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (42)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (34)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (8)
Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (53)
Tom Jordan – Glasgow Warriors (3)
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (55)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (8)
Finn Russell – Vice-Captain – Bath Rugby (82)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (9)
Sione Tuipulotu – Captain – Glasgow Warriors (30)
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (44)
Ben White – Toulon (24)
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.