Scotland call on Gray and Cherry for Six Nations

Experienced pair Jonny Gray and Dave Cherry return to the Scotland squad in time for this year’s Six Nations, while there are places for young Edinburgh duo Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas.

The 40-strong squad chosen by Gregor Townsend, comprises 23 forwards and 17 backs.

«We know the opportunity is there for us,» said the head coach. «The opportunity might not be there in a year’s time or two years’ time.

«We’ve got an experienced squad, I don’t think it’s an old squad. Players that are 30 or older might have another two or three championships.

«We’ve got players in really good form and players coming back from injury that we missed in November like Zander Fagerson and Huw Jones. These are players that have played for the Lions so it’s definitely a boost.»

Cherry was first-choice hooker in the 2025 Six Nations, with Bordeaux lock Gray starting four championship matches last year, but neither has been involved since.

«He was a bit of a glue player for us around his set-piece and in attack and defence,» said Townsend of the 35-year-old, who is playing in Pro D2 in France for Vannes.

«He missed the summer tour with injury and we decided to look at different options in November. On form, Dave probably should have been in the November squad. We feel his experience is really important.

«Jonny hasn’t had that many opportunities [at Bordeaux], but he’s actually in really good form. He’s playing with one of the best clubs in Europe.

«He’s looking fit and sharp, his work-rate is outstanding. He’s someone that has played well for us and we can rely on him if required during this championship.»

Gray, with 81 caps, joins fellow stalwarts Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings as Max Williamson and Alex Craig bid to break the established order in the second row, along with Gregor Brown, who also operates at blindside flanker.

Ewan Ashman and George Turner are the other hookers in the squad.

Adam Hastings and Fergus Burke will provide competition and cover for star fly-half Finn Russell.

Ben White and George Horne are the scrum-halves, with Jamie Dobie an option at number nine but thriving on the wing for Glasgow Warriors.

Captain Sione Tuipulotu is joined by Glasgow team-mates Jones and Stafford McDowall and Northampton Saints’ Rory Hutchinson as the specialist centres.

The back three selection will come from Blair Kinghorn, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe and Ollie Smith, who are all options at full-back, along with Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Kyle Steyn and Dobie.

McConnell, 21, and Douglas, 20, each have one cap and join Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie, Josh Bayliss and Glasgow trio Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey in the scrap for back-row places.

There are three loosehead props; Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland and Nathan McBeth, with Elliot Millar Mills and D’arcy Rae supporting standout tighthead Zander Fagerson.

Scotland open the tournament in Rome on 7 February, then host England before a trip to Cardiff on three successive Saturdays.

France visit Murrayfield on 7 March and Scotland are in Dublin for the final round of fixtures seven days later.

«I’m sure we’ll be rotating our squad at some point,» said Townsend. «Whether that means within our 23 and changing things up or bringing people out with your 23.

«You just never know about injuries. They’re surely going to come when you play three Test matches in a row.

«I actually think it suits us and maybe Italy because in the past there were two fallow weeks and teams trained during those fallow weeks, but we’ve not been able to do that because we’ve had a lot of players playing in England and France and they’ve been going back to play for their clubs.

«Only having one week, I don’t think many teams will be training. They’ll be using that as a recovery week. Most teams are back on a level playing field for this championship.»

Scotland finished fourth last year, with third place in 2023 and 2018 their best showings in Townsend’s eight previous attempts.

Tom English, BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer

When the squad was announced the temptation was to re-read it on the assumption that Gregor Hiddleston, the outstanding Glasgow hooker, was in it but was just missed at first reading.

But he’s not. And it’s unfathomable. Dave Cherry, aged 35 and playing second division rugby in France, is in as is George Turner, 33 and a bit-part player for a Harlequins side that’s been playing poorly. Neither have played Test rugby since the last Six Nations.

Hiddleston’s omission is a total puzzler. Astonishing. Cam Henderson, the Leicester giant, also misses out. Another head-scratcher particularly when Jonny Gray has dropped out of the sky and been included despite largely playing a bench role for Bordeaux and not playing for Scotland at all in close to a year.

Henderson and Alex Samuel are not included, which is to ignore two form locks.

Elsewhere, the squad looks strong with some youth in Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas and plenty of X factor. The exclusions are eye-catching, but there’s still plenty to like.

Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Magnus Bradbury, Gregor Brown, Dave Cherry, Scott Cummings, Alex Craig, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Freddy Douglas, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Nathan McBeth, Liam McConnell, Elliot Millar Mills, D’arcy Rae, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, George Turner, Max Williamson.

Backs: Fergus Burke, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Finn Russell, Kyle Rowe, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White.