Scotland Six Nations squad update as duo drafted in amid injury concerns as Edinburgh man makes way
It’s a case of two in and one out for Gregor Townsend’s men as they prepare for the annual competition.
With less than a fortnight to go before Scotland head to the Stadio Olimpico, the squad has been shaken up amid injury worries.
Gregor Townsend has added some cover to the squad, with Glasgow Warriors hooker Gregor Hiddleston drafted in, as well as Sale Sharks scrum-half Gus Warr. The pair have been added as part of an insurance policy for Dave Cherry and Jamie Dobie, who are both staying in the camp to recover despite injury concerns. However, in the camp shake-up, it’s bad news for Edinburgh flanker Liam McConnell as he returns to his club team after suffering a rib injury.
Scotland will face Italy in Rome on February 7th in a match which already has a must-win feel about it, however Townsend is confident heading into what he feels is an ‘open’ Championship and believes his side must take the positives from the heartbreaking Autumn Nations Series defeats to New Zealand and Argentina.
Hiddleston and Warr called up, McConnell makes way
Given the current form of the Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship table, it’s no surprise Townsend has looked to Franco Smith’s side for reinforcements. Hiddleston himself has been in fine form, scoring five tries in his last 11 matches, including a brace against Zebre Parma last weekend to help them top the table. The uncapped hooker is the 19th Warrior to be called up by Townsend to the squad.
As for Warr, he makes a return to the squad after being selected for the summer tour of 2024. The scrum half scored a brace on his debut against Canada and subsequently started in Scotland’s win over Chile in July of that year, in what was his last senior cap. Warr was however called up to the squad for last year’s Summer Internationals in place of Ben White, who was on Lions duty, but didn’t get any minutes.
In terms of injuries, Cherry was perhaps a surprise inclusion in the squad in the first place, at 35-years old playing in the Pro D2 for Vannes in France, but Townsend believes he will add some experience to the front row. For McConnell, it’s a case of bad timing, with the youngster impressing at club level and in his first and only Scotland cap against USA in November.
Scotland squad ‘in a better place’ - Townsend
Speaking at the Six Nations launch event at Edinburgh Castle, Townsend looked at the positives Scotland can take going into the tournament. He said: “I think, just in terms of our squad, we’re in a better place because just now over 90 per cent of the players are available for selection. That hasn’t always been the case. I do believe the way the team played throughout 2025 in some of our biggest games, when I think back to New Zealand, France, England, the players have performed at a really high level.
“Even though we had those painful moments of not winning against New Zealand and Argentina, I see that as positive. They were not positive at the time, obviously, but what we learned can help us when we’re going to have those moments of adversity, when the opposition score a try or break our line, so we’re better prepared now to deal with them.
“I think also the fact Glasgow are playing really well and a lot of our players come from the Glasgow team, that is a positive going into the tournament. I think the Six Nations has been pretty open the last few years. You know that every team is going to face a tough day, even the best teams. You know that you can’t drop below a certain level of performance if you’re seen as someone who can win the tournament.”
Updated Scotland Six Nations 2026 squad:
Forwards: Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby, Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby, Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby, 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 Rugby, Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors, Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors, Grant Gilchrist – Edinburgh Rugby, Jonny Gray – Union Bordeaux Bègles, Gregor Hiddleston - Glasgow Warriors, Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors, Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints, D’arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby, Jamie Ritchie – Perpignan, Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby, Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors, George Turner – Harlequins, Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors.
Backs: Fergus Burke – Saracens, Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors, Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby, 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 Rugby, Kyle Rowe- Glasgow Warriors, Ollie Smith – Glasgow Warriors, Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors, Sione Tuipulotu – Glasgow Warriors, Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby, Gus Warr - Sale Sharks, Ben White – Toulon.