FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Premiership - Harlequins vs Saracens - Twickenham Stoop, London, Britain - October 13, 2024 Saracens' Fergus Burke in action with Harlequins' Lennox Anyanwu Action Images/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo
(Reuters) -Scotland coach Gregor Townsend named uncapped New Zealand-born flyhalf Fergus Burke and number eight Jack Mann in his squad for the Six Nations Championship, but experienced trio Kyle Steyn, Adam Hastings and Cameron Redpath are sidelined with injury.
Townsend unveiled 37 players ahead of Scotland’s opener against Italy at Murrayfield on Feb 1, with centre Sione Tuipulotu to captain the side.
Burke, 25, qualifies through his Glasgow-born grandfather, and will compete for the number 10 jersey with incumbent Finn Russell and Tom Jordan.
"He has been playing regularly for Sacarens and playing really well," Townsend said. "We want to find out about him as a person and a player. He is a good defender and loves to carry the ball, whether at flyhalf or fullback."
Steyn has been a regular for the team since making his debut in 2020, scoring 13 tries in 23 tests, but along with Hastings and Redpath will miss the start of the competition, at least, with injury.
Instead, Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Kyle Rowe make up the back three selection in Steyn’s absence, while Tuipulotu is one of five centres alongside Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Matt Currie and Rory Hutchinson as Townsend assesses his options.
Lock Jonny Gray, 30, will hope to add to his 77 caps having not played for Scotland since the 2023 Six Nations. He is one of five second rows alongside Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Marshall Sykes and Gregor Brown.
"Johnny is a really experienced player," Townsend said. "He is back fully fit and brings his experience of playing in French rugby."
Townsend has also named four hookers in Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry, Dylan Richardson and Patrick Harrison.
Scotland have not won the competition since it was the Five Nations in 1999, ahead of Italy's inclusion.
They also have home games against Ireland and Wales this year, and are away to England and France.
"The tournament is so tied to momentum, if you are going to do well you have to start well," Townsend said. "We have to put in our best performances from the first round to the last."
Scotland squad:
Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti, Gregor Brown, Dave Cherry, Luke Crosbie, Scott Cummings, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Patrick Harrison, Will Hurd, Jack Mann, D'Arcy Rae, Dylan Richardson, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Marshall Sykes
Backs: Fergus Burke, Matt Currie, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Rowe, Finn Russell, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
