Gregor Townsend has named a largely experimental squad for the summer tour of the Americas. It’s not a question of who misses out, but rather who is actually going, as Scotland travel to four countries for four tests with no Tier One test against Argentina to give it something worth not-resting the likes of Finn Russell.
In the pack, Pierre Schoeman, Scott Cummings, Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge are the biggest names on the plane, while in the backs Huw Jones, Duhan van Der Merwe and Sione Tuipulotu are the only names from Scotland’s core XV who will feature presumably to create some sort of Bam Squad rescue bench in case of emergency.
The rest is a mix of players who often fill in for injuries or in rotation such as Kyle Steyn or Matt Fagerson, or are just returning following spells out of the test team through injury (Josh Bayliss, Rory Sutherland, Adam Hastings, Luke Crosbie), and younger players in need of test experience.
Scotland has an issue that we rely on the current 23-30 names almost exclusively and have done for the last 4 years at least. We badly need to fast track the next generation so that they are ready when the current crop retires, possibly as early as the next World Cup, and build depth in weaker positions. For all the moaning that we haven’t played a test in New Zealand for 24 years, this tour does at least offer the opportunity to blood new talent.
For some players who do have experience (Sutherland, Richardson) this tour will represent a chance to show that they can still cut it and should be in Townsend’s thoughts more often. For the new or younger players it is a chance to work with Townsend and his systems and perhaps force themselves into the reckoning for the big jump in quality of opponent that will come in the Autumn. It also represents a chance for Ewan Ashman to pin down a serious claim to the Scotland hooker shirt: George Turner is off to Japan, and URC top try-scorer Jonny Matthews has for some reason been omitted so his principle competition will be the newly converted Dylan Richardson. Matthews’ is possibly the only name with a real question mark next to it as he’s class, and needs more caps. There is no place for Rory Hutchinson
Other big names who will unsurprisingly be rested include stalwarts like Finn Russell, Ben White, Ali Price, Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Richie Gray, Zander Fagerson, Jack Dempsey, Hamish Watson, Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner.
Nathan McBeth, Patrick Harrison, Robbie Smith, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Ewan Johnson, Gregor Brown, Gus Warr, Arron Reed and Matt Currie are the 10 uncapped players on tour.
Loosehead prop McBeth, back-five forward Brown and second row Williamson, all from Glasgow Warriors, have trained with Scotland in recent times.
Winger Arron Reed from Sale Sharks was in the Guinness Six Nations squad earlier this year and is joined by clubmate Gus Warr, a scrum-half who has represented Scotland at age-grade level. Leicester Tigers tighthead prop Will Hurd was also included in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations squad but dropped out through injury.
Edinburgh’s Matt Currie has previous experience of a Scotland summer tour, having started against Chile two years ago for Scotland A in a 45-5 victory.
Summer Tour Fixture List
Saturday 6 July: Canada v Scotland, TD Place, Ottawa, kick-off: 10pm UK time, 5pm local time
Friday 12 July: USA v Scotland, Audi Field, Washington DC, kick-off: 11.30pm UK time, 6.30pm local time
Saturday 20 July: Chile v Scotland, Estadio Nacional, Santiago, kick-off: 8pm UK time. 3pm local time
Saturday 27 July: Uruguay v Scotland, Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo, kick-off: 8pm UK time, 4pm local time
Forwards:
Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers) uncapped, Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped, Elliot Millar-Mills (Northampton Saints) 3 caps, Javan Sebastian (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps, Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 31 caps, Rory Sutherland (Oyonnax Rugby) 30 caps, Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) 17 caps, Patrick Harrison (Edinburgh Rugby) uncapped, Dylan Richardson (The Sharks) 1 cap, Robbie Smith (Northampton Saints) uncapped
Alex Craig (Scarlets) 2 caps, Ewan Johnson (Oyonnax Rugby) uncapped, Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps, Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped, Glen Young (Edinburgh Rugby) 3 caps
Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped, Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) 5 caps, Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps, Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 19 caps, Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 44 caps, Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) 49 caps.
Backs:
Gus Warr (Sale Sharks) uncapped, Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps, George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 30 caps
Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) 26 caps, Ben Healy (Edinburgh Rugby) 5 caps, Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
Matt Currie (Edinburgh Rugby) uncapped, Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 48 caps, Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps, Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 25 caps
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 19 caps, Arron Reed (Sale Sharks) uncapped, Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 39 caps
Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors) 4 caps, Harry Paterson (Edinburgh Rugby) 1 cap
During the last two weeks of the tour, three development players will join the squad as a learning opportunity and to bolster training. Tighthead prop Fin Richardson, who has signed for Glasgow Warriors next season, will be joined by his new teammate, scrum-half Ben Afshar. Edinburgh Rugby lock Rob Carmichael will also be added to the group for the final two weeks.
Development players:
Fin Richardson (Exeter Chiefs) uncapped, Rob Carmichael (Edinburgh Rugby) uncapped, Ben Afshar (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
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