Jones returns to Townsend's Six Nations squad
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Gregor Townsend has named a 40-player squad for the upcoming 2026 Six Nations, ahead of Scotland’s opener against Italy in Rome on Saturday, February 7.
The group, comprising 23 forwards and 17 backs, will be led once more by Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu and includes two notable returnees in the form of second row Jonny Gray and hooker Dave Cherry.
Gray has been named after featuring for Bordeaux Bègles as they topped the European Champions Cup knockout stage seedings, whilst Cherry has impressed for Vannes, starting 12 of 14 games during their ascent to the top of Pro D2 in France.
He is joined by fellow hookers Ewan Ashman, now Scotland’s top try scorer, and George Turner, the latter having reached 50 caps for Scotland in the recent Nations Series.
Elsewhere in the front row, there are three loosehead props by way of Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland and Nathan McBeth, with Zander Fagerson, Elliot Millar Mills and D’arcy Rae selected at tighthead.
The familiar faces of Grant Gilchrist and Scott Cummings join Gray as part of a five-man second-row stable, with Max Williamson and Alex Craig included. Gregor Brown, equally comfortable at lock or at blindside flanker, is also named.
The forward selection is completed by a host of back-row options, with young Edinburgh duo Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas rewarded for their sparkling club form, joining clubmate Magnus Bradbury, Perpignan’s Jamie Ritchie, Josh Bayliss of Bath and Glasgow Warriors trio Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey.
In the backs, Tuipulotu is one of four specialist centres named, alongside fellow Warriors Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall and Northampton Saints’ Rory Hutchinson.
The back three includes Blair Kinghorn, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe and Ollie Smith, all of whom are able to cover fullback and other backline positions.
Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham, Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie, himself offering an option from scrumhalf, are also selected.
At stand-off, Finn Russell will embark on a 12th Six Nations campaign, with Adam Hastings and Fergus Burke completing the flyhalf group. Ben White and George Horne are named as the two primary scrumhalves.
After facing Italy in Rome, Scotland will host England on Saturday, February 14, at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, before travelling to Cardiff to face Wales a week later.
A fallow week then sees France make the trip to Edinburgh on Saturday, March 7, before the championship concludes in Dublin on Saturday, March 14.
Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Vannes), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Alex Craig (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), Liam McConnell (Edinburgh), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints), D’arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Jamie Ritchie (Perpignan), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), George Turner (Harlequins), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors)
Backs: Fergus Burke (Saracens), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Bath), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors)
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors, Sione Tuipulotu (Captain – Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe Edinburgh, Ben White (Toulon)
