Toony Names His Six Nations Extended Squad

Gregor Townsend - didn't have a lot of wriggle room in some positions

GREGOR Townsend provided some interesting reading for a late breakfast this morning, when he announced his 39-man Scotland squad for the Guinness Six Nations. The full squad is:

PROPS: Alex Allan, Simon Berghan, Jamie Bhatti, Allan Dell, Wilem Nel, D'Arcy Rae*.

HOOKERS: Dave Cherry*, Jake Kerr*, Stuart McInally, Grant Stewart*.

LOCKS: Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Sam Skinner, Tim Swinson, Ben Toolis.

BACK ROW: Adam Ashe, Gary Graham*, John Hardie, Jamie Ritchie, Josh Strauss, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson.

SCRUM-HALVES: George Horne, Greig Laidlaw (Captain), Ali Price.

STAND-OFFS: Adam Hastings, Finn Russell.

CENTRES: Chris Dean*, Nick Grigg, Sam Johnson*, Chris Harris, Pete Horne, Huw Jones,.

WINGERS: Darcy Graham, Lee Jones, Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour.

FULL-BACKS: Stuart Hogg, Blair Kinghorn.

There are seven uncapped players in this extended squad - (their names marked with *). Glasgow tight-head D'Arcy Rae, who was an unused squad member on the South Pacific Tour a couple of seasons ago is rewarded for his sterling work as Edinburgh's Dave Cherry, Leicester's Jake Kerr and Glasgow's Grant Stewart earn first call-ups.

Grant Stewart - one o three uncapped hookers

Newcastle Falcons' Gary Graham, an unused squad member during the Autumn Internationals keeps his place in the squad and will be hoping to join his father, Hawick coach George, among the ranks of the capped, while in the backs, Edinburgh's Chris Dean gets a first call-up and Glasgow's Australian-born centre Sam Johnson, another player denied a possible Autumn debut by injury, is fit again and back in the squad.

Chris Dean's good form or Edinburgh is rewarded

Of course, some hardy annuals could not be considered because of injury: Fraser Brown, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, John Barclay, Dave Denton, Magnus Bradbury, Matt Fagerson, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott, Alex Dunbar and Duncan Taylor, most of whom might well have been named, are all still in various stages of rehab from lengthy injury-enforced absences. In all, Scotland Team Media Manager Michael James has listed 19 players who could not be considered due to injury, in his press release outlining the squad.

Given the severity of the hooking injury crisis, the absence of Ross Ford's name surely signals the end of his remarkable century-plus of Scotland appearances. I am, however, somewhat surprised at the omission of London Irish's Gordy Reid – for me, he remains our best scrummaging loose-head. Henry Pyrgos is another who might feel aggrieved at being left out,  given his sterling form with Edinburgh.

It is good, however, to see John Hardie – re-born seemingly at Newcastle – recalled to the colours. This is perhaps as strong a squad as Toony could have picked. However, the lack of experience at hooker and in the centre could leave us exposed if we suffer one or two injuries in these positions.