Scotland pick England prop in Six Nations squad

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland have named England prop Alec Hepburn in their squad for the forthcoming Six Nations tournament.

Hepburn has completed the three-year period to switch allegiance to the nation of his father's birth.

The 30-year-old Exeter star won six England caps and last appeared for the country in 2018.

Leicester tighthead Will Hurd, Sale wing Arron Reed and Edinburgh back Harry Paterson are the other three new additions in Gregor Townsend's squad.

Northampton back Rory Hutchinson will be seeking to add to his eight caps as he returns for the first time since appearing in two Tests against Argentina in 2022.

Gloucester flyhalf Adam Hastings is back in after missing the World Cup last year through injury.

Josh Bayliss, Kyle Rowe and Stafford McDowall are also restored after being cut from the World Cup training squad.

Glasgow trio Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey and Kyle Steyn made the selection despite recent injury lay-offs.

Darge is unlikely to be fit until midway through the tournament, which starts for Scotland with a trip to Wales on February 3.

The most notable absentees from Townsend's squad are 2021 British and Irish Lions trio Hamish Watson, Rory Sutherland and Chris Harris.

Dave Cherry, who departed the World Cup squad in September after falling down stairs at the team hotel in Nice, has also been omitted.

Scotland Six Nations squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti, Andy Christie, Luke Crosbie, Scott Cummings, Jack Dempsey, Rory Darge, Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Alec Hepburn, Will Hurd, Johnny Matthews, WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Sam Skinner, George Turner, Glen Young.

Backs: Adam Hastings, Ben Healy, George Horne, Darcy Graham, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Harry Paterson, Ali Price, Cameron Redpath, Arron Reed, Kyle Rowe, Finn Russell, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White.