Six Nations 2026: Scotland drop Van der Merwe, Graham & Kinghorn

Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham – the top two try-scorers in Scotland history – as well as British and Irish Lions Test full-back Blair Kinghorn have been left out of the side for the Six Nations opener against Italy.

Coach Gregor Townsend has opted for a back three of Bristol’s Tom Jordan at full-back flanked by Glasgow Warriors wingers Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie for Saturday’s game in Rome.

It will be the first start in a Six Nations game for Dobie, who has played the majority of his career as a scrum-half but who has shone for Glasgow on the wing this season.

Graham is among the replacements but Van der Merwe and Kinghorn are not even in the matchday 23, with stand-off Adam Hastings and scrum-half George Horne the other backs cover.

Other than the shock omissions of three 2025 Lions tourists, Townsend’s selection for Scotland’s first game of the championship is otherwise predictable.

Grant Gilchrist, 35, has beaten off the challenges of the more youthful Gregor Brown and Max Williamson to partner Scott Cummings, who missed last year’s championship through injury, in the second row.

Matt Fagerson, vice-captain Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey form an all-Glasgow back row, with versatile Warriors forward Brown also covering the breakaway unit.

Those three are part of a nine-strong Glasgow contingent in the starting line-up with another five Warriors on the bench.

Ewan Ashman, Scotland’s leading try-scoring forward, gets the nod at hooker ahead of George Turner and will have Lions props Pierre Schoeman and Zander Fagerson either side of him.

Ben White partners vice-captain Finn Russell at half-back despite strong claims from in-form Horne.

The midfield is the familiar pairing of Huw Jones and captain Sione Tuipulotu – the 18th Test match the pair have played together.

Jordan; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu (c), Dobie; Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Z Fagerson, Cummings, Gilchrist; M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, McBeth, Millar-Mills, Williamson, Brown, Horne, Hastings, Graham.

Analysis by BBC Sport Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English

It’s a huge call at full-back but it’s one that has long been mooted. Blair Kinghorn is an exceptionally talented player but he has flaws in his game linked to his inherent risk-taking.

His flamboyance is a great strength when he’s in full flow but it’s also a weakness when Scotland are trying to tighten things up.

Tom Jordan is just a more steely player, even though he’s been playing most of his rugby at 10 for Bristol.

The nature of this Six Nations – three games in a row and only one fallow week – means that there could be significant changes for the Calcutta Cup even if Scotland were to win in Rome.

Managing the players’ minutes will be a bigger feature this time around. Kinghorn – and Duhan van der Merwe – might well come back into the mix next week.