Vern Cotter selects two uncapped props in Scotland Six Nations squad
Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has named uncapped props Zander Fagerson and Rory Sutherland in his 35-man squad for the RBS 6 Nations.
Glasgow centre Alex Dunbar also makes his return to the national team camp 10 months after a knee injury killed off his hopes of featuring at last year's World Cup.
However, there is no place for his Warriors team-mate Ryan Wilson, who faces a potentially lengthy ban after being cited for allegedly grabbing the testicles of Northampton's scrum-half Lee Dickson.
Cotter said: “We’ve selected a mixture of experience with some exciting young players coming through, some of whom have experienced the Rugby World Cup and are eager to move forward, take the RBS 6 Nations head on and show that we can develop our game and be competitive.
“I think there should be confidence. The guys have worked hard and improved. There are positive signs that we can compete, and this Championship will give us another opportunity to measure ourselves against very good opposition in a tough competition.
“The guys believe that we can compete, dominate and secure victories in these games.”
SCOTLAND SQUAD FOR THE 2016 RBS 6 NATIONS
- FORWARDS -
Hooker Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 94 caps Pat MacArthur (Glasgow Warriors) – 6 caps Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) – 2 caps **Front-row** Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 52 caps Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) - uncapped Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs) – 29 caps Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) – 8 caps Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped **Lock** Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps Richie Gray (Castres) – 51 caps Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby) – 1 cap
Back-row Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors) – 6 caps John Barclay (Scarlets) – 45 caps Blair Cowan (London Irish) – 15 caps David Denton (Bath) – 32 caps Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps
- BACKS -
Scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby) – 8 caps Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 46 caps **Stand-off** Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps **Centre** Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors) – 13 caps Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 15 caps Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) – 33 caps Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 12 caps **Wing** Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) – 101 caps Sean Maitland (London Irish) – 20 caps Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 23 caps **Full-back** Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 38 caps Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps) – 27 caps
- TRAINING WITH THE SQUAD -
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps