Four SA-born Scotland internationals, along with former England prop Alec Hepburn, have been included by Gregor Townsend in his squad for the upcoming Six Nations.
Props WP Nel and Pierre Schoeman, with backs Kyle Steyn and Duhan van der Merwe, are expected to turn out during the Scots’ 2024 campaign.
Meanwhile, 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 winger Arron Reed and Edinburgh back Harry Paterson are the other three new additions in Townsend’s squad.
Northampton Saints 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.
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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 layoffs. Darge is unlikely to be fit until midway through the tournament, which starts for Scotland with a trip to Wales on 3 February.
The most notable absentees from Townsend’s squad are 2021 British & 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.
Full Scotland 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.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: INPHO/Craig Watson