Scotland boosted by returning players

Scotland Head coach Gregor Townsend has named a revised Scotland squad for the 6 Nations ahead of this Saturday’s Round 4 Test against Ireland in Dublin.

The squad – which increases in size from 36 to 40 for the forthcoming rounds – welcomes 10 players into the group at the expense of six, with five of the seven new faces fit-to-play for the first time in the current campaign.

Toulouse lock Richie Gray (calf), Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown (head), prop Zander Fagerson (foot), centre Alex Dunbar (thigh) and Edinburgh Rugby prop Darryl Marfo (back) have all recovered from their respective injuries to be deemed eligible for selection for the first time.

The new additions are completed by Edinburgh Rugby back-row John Hardie and impressive young scrum-half George Horne, whose 10 tries in 14 games for Glasgow Warriors this season has helped him secure his first senior international call-up.

The final three amendments see Sale Sharks and Glasgow Warriors wings Byron McGuigan (hamstring) and Lee Jones (head) return from their respective injuries to re-join the group, while Edinburgh Rugby back-row Magnus Bradbury is reselected.

Not considered through injury: Harlequins wing Tim Visser (head), Glasgow Warriors back-row Rob Harley (wrist).

SCOTLAND SQUAD FOR 2018 6 NATIONS

FORWARDS (22)

John Barclay (Scarlets) CAPTAIN
Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors)
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby)
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
David Denton (Worcester Warriors)
Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh Rugby)
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby)
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
Richie Gray (Toulouse)
Luke Hamilton (Leicester Tigers)
John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby)
Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons)
Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh Rugby)
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby)
Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby)
Gordon Reid (London Irish)
Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh Rugby)
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)

BACKS (18)

Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby)
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors)
Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons)
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby)
Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne)
Sean Maitland (Saracens)
Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks)
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors)
Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)