13 players named in 2024 Six Nations squad

• 16 Jan 2024
• News

Gregor Townsend has today named 13 Edinburgh Rugby players in his 39-man squad for the upcoming 2024 Guinness Six Nations, with uncapped academy graduate Harry Paterson among those selected.

Back-three flyer Paterson – who has impressed in four appearances this current campaign – returned from injury earlier this season and has since featured against Ulster, Clermont, Castres and Gloucester.

Paterson is joined in the backs by Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Ali Price and Ben Healy.

The capital side are well represented in the forward pack [8] with Ewan Ashman, WP Nel, Pierre Schoeman, Grant Gilchrist, Glen Young, Sam Skinner, Jamie Ritchie and Luke Crosbie all selected for the upcoming championship.

Reacting to the squad selection, Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach Sean Everitt said: “We’re delighted and proud to see 13 Edinburgh Rugby players selected for this year’s Six Nations Championship.

“It’s always an honour to represent your country and those named in today’s squad will be eager to hit the ground running straight away for the opportunity to wear the thistle on their chest.”

Harry Paterson (pictured) impressed from the bench in Saturday’s European clash with Gloucester.

Props Alec Hepburn and Will Hurd, winger Arron Reed and back-three operator Paterson have all earned a first call-up to Scotland duty, ahead of the championship opener against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday 3 February.

Loosehead prop Hepburn of Exeter Chiefs qualifies through his father, who was born in Scotland, likewise Sale Sharks flyer Reed. Leicester Tigers’ loosehead Hurd represented his country 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.

The rest of Townsend’s squad, for which a captain is still to be named, has much of a familiar look, with Schoeman, Jamie Bhatti, Zander Fagerson and Nel filling the propping positions. At hooker, Ashman, Johnny Matthews and George Turner are named to complete front row options.

In the second row the experienced Gilchrist and Richie Gray are joined by Scott Cummings, Skinner and Young, who returns to the national squad having last been capped against Argentina in 2022.

Scotland’s forward stable is added to in the form of back row members Ritchie, Rory Darge,  Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Crosbie, Josh Bayliss and Andy Christie.

In the backs, Reed and Paterson are two of a seven-strong list that includes wingers Van der Merwe, Graham, Kyle Steyn and Kyle Rowe, as well as full-back Blair Kinghorn.

Five centres have been selected by way of Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Cameron Redpath and Rory Hutchinson, who returns to the fold for the first time since appearing in two Tests on the tour to Argentina in 2022.

Adam Hastings’ timely return from injury has led to the Gloucester Rugby stand-off joining Finn Russell and Healy in the squad, with scrum-half trio Ben White, Price and George Horne also named.

In all, the squad comprises 15 players from Glasgow Warriors, 13 from Edinburgh Rugby and a further 11 who ply their trade outside Scotland.

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

Scotland squad for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations

Forwards

Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (12)
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (5)
Jamie Bhatti – Glasgow Warriors (34)
Andy Christie – Saracens (4)
Luke Crosbie – Edinburgh Rugby (7)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (33)
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (15)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (15)
Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby (68)
Richie Gray – Glasgow Warriors (78)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (40)
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (62)
Alec Hepburn – Exeter Chiefs (uncapped)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (uncapped)
Johnny Matthews – Glasgow Warriors (1)
WP Nel – Edinburgh Rugby (61)
Jamie Ritchie – Edinburgh Rugby (46)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (26)
Sam Skinner – Edinburgh Rugby (30)
George Turner – Glasgow Warriors (40)
Glen Young – Edinburgh Rugby (3)

Backs

Adam Hastings – Gloucester Rugby (27)
Ben Healy – Edinburgh Rugby (4)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (26)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (39)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (8)
Huw Jones – Glasgow Warriors (43)
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (50)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors  (1)
Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (uncapped)
Ali Price – Edinburgh Rugby (66)
Cameron Redpath – Bath Rugby (9)
Arron Reed – Sale Sharks (uncapped)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (1)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (75)
Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (15)
Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors (22)
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (34)
Ben White – Toulon (18)