Scotland unveil strong #RWC squad

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named his 33-player squad for the upcoming World Cup 2023, to be held in France next month.

Captain Jamie Ritchie leads a selection comprising 19 forwards and 14 backs for a Pool B campaign that will see Scotland face South Africa, Tonga, Romania and Ireland.

Flank Ritchie is one of 15 players to have appeared at a previous World Cup, with second rows Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist, tighthead prop WP Nel, as well as stand-off Finn Russell, all set for a third such tournament experience. Back row Jack Dempsey represented Australia in Japan four years ago.

The others to have featured at a World Cup, all in 2019, include forwards Zander Fagerson, (tighthead prop), George Turner (hooker), Scott Cummings (second row) and Hamish Watson (flank); and backs Darcy Graham (wing), Chris Harris (centre), Blair Kinghorn (fullback), George Horne and Ali Price (both scrumhalf).

Gray, one of seven players named with more than 50 Scotland appearances, is the most-capped member of the squad on 75, with veteran Nel the eldest at a still sprightly 37 years old.

At the other end of the experience spectrum, fullback Ollie Smith is the youngest in the squad having recently turned 23, with stand-off Ben Healy the least-capped with two.

The other players preparing for their World Cup debut are forwards Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry (both hooker), Jamie Bhatti, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland (all loosehead prop), Javan Sebastian (tighthead prop), Sam Skinner (second row) and back row trio Luke Crosbie, Rory Darge and Matt Fagerson.

Scrumhalf Ben White, centres Huw Jones, Cameron Redpath and Sione Tuipulotu, and wings Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn complete the selection.

Van der Merwe sustained an injury during Scotland's narrow 27-30 defeat to France on Saturday. He was helped from the pitch by a team doctor with a quarter of the game left.

The 33-strong group contains 14 players each from Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors, with four Exiles (Harris, Redpath, Russell and White) and Rory Sutherland, unattached since recently leaving Ulster.

Scotland World Cup squad: 

Forwards

Ewan Ashman, Jamie Bhatti, Dave Cherry, Luke Crosbie, Scott Cummings, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Richie Gray, WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie (Captain), Pierre Schoeman, Javan Sebastian, Sam Skinner, Rory Sutherland, George Turner, Hamish Watson

Backs

Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Ben Healy, George Horne, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price, Cameron Redpath, Finn Russell, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White