Four players cut from Scotland's Rugby World Cup training squad

Nick Grigg has been cut from the Scotland training squad. Picture: SNS

Glasgow centre Nick Grigg, Glasgow wing/centre Kyle Steyn, Edinburgh scrum-half Henry Pyrgos and Newcastle back-row forward Gary Graham have all been allowed to return their clubs.

Grigg's departure is perhaps the most surprising. The Warriors threequarter started the Calcutta Cup clash with England but now finds himself excluded form the national squad.

The quartet's exit reduces the size of the training group to 40 players. Another nine will be cut before the tournament kicks off in Japan in September.

Townsend said: “I’d like to thank these players for the work-rate and commitment they’ve shown as part of our preparations for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

“They’ve been a credit to a very strong group of players, and we wish them all the best in the season ahead.

“Players are often called up from beyond the 31-man group that travels to a World Cup, so I’d encourage these players to keep working as hard on their skills and fitness as they have over the summer, as we may need to call on them in the weeks ahead.”

Scotland will play four warm-up Tests before the World Cup, beginning with the match against France in Nice on Saturday 17 August, before hosting the return fixture at BT Murrayfield a week later.

They will then play Georgia twice.

REDUCED SCOTLAND RUGBY WORLD CUP TRAINING SQUAD

FORWARDS (23)

John Barclay (Edinburgh) – 71 caps; Rugby World Cup 2007 and 2011

Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 19 caps

Jamie Bhatti (Edinburgh) – 13 caps

Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 7 caps

Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 42 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped

Allan Dell (London Irish) – 22 caps

Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 33 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 51 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) – 27 caps

Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 29 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Gordon Reid (unattached) – 34 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 10 caps

Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 5 caps

Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped

Josh Strauss (Sale Sharks) – 22 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – uncapped

Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 18 caps

George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps

Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) – 25 caps

Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 43 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

BACKS (17)

Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 4 caps

Chris Harris (Newcastle Falcons) – 8 caps

Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 11 caps

Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) – 67 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps

Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 41 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints) – uncapped

Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 21 caps

Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps

Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 11 caps

Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne) – 71 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 40 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) – 8 caps

Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 24 caps

Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 44 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) – 50 caps; Rugby World Cup 2015

Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 21 caps