Gregor Townsend names settled Scotland squad for vital Six Nations

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Experienced forwards Dave Cherry and Jonny Gray have been recalled to a settled Scotland squad named for a vital Six Nations campaign.

Hooker Cherry and lock Gray, who ply their trade in France with Vannes and Bordeaux Begles respectively, bolster the tight five stocks available to head coach Gregor Townsend in a 40-player group including few surprises.

Townsend enters the Six Nations under a degree of pressure despite renewing his contract last year, with a second-half collapse against Argentina and narrow defeat to New Zealand leaving underlying frustration after their November campaign.

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Jonny Gray has returned to the Scotland squad (Getty Images)

The strong form of Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup, where Franco Smith’s side won all four of their group stage games, has only underscored a requirement for Townsend’s side to fulfil their potential and challenge for a Six Nations title.

There are 19 Glasgow players named in a squad, including captain Sione Tuipulotu. Young Edinburgh flankers Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas are rewarded for their strong club form with places in a competitive back row group, with Andy Onyeama-Christie squeezed out.

Cherry is preferred to Glasgow’s Gregor Hiddleston at hooker having swapped Edinburgh for ProD2 at the start of the season, while Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie — who can also play at scrum half — will challenge Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe for starting places on the wing.

Glasgow’s Adam Hastings, who has agreed a move to Montpellier next season, and Fergus Burke of Saracens provide specialist fly half cover to Finn Russell in a squad full of playmaking options, with Tom Jordan and Blair Kinghorn also operating regularly at No 10 for Bristol and Toulouse of late.

Scotland open their Six Nations in Rome against Italy on Saturday 7 February, before hosting England at Murrayfield in the Calcutta Cup a week later.

Scotland squad for 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)

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