South Africa-born loose forward Dylan Richardson has been included in a 36-man Scotland squad for next week’s two-day training camp ahead of the autumn Tests.
With players based in England and France unable to be called up for this gathering, head coach Gregor Townsend’s group is made up almost exclusively of Edinburgh and Glasgow players, with the sole exception of 22-year-old Sharks player Richardson, who qualifies through his Edinburgh-born father.
The training squad will convene at Oriam on Sunday and Monday before Townsend finalises his squad next Wednesday for the autumn series, which begins against Tonga at Murrayfield on Saturday, October 30.
Among the uncapped players in the provisional group are Glasgow’s Rory Darge, Rufus McLean, Craig Forbes, Sione Tuipulotu, Ross Thompson and Jamie Dobie, as well as Edinburgh’s Luke Crosbie, Pierre Schoeman, Marshall Sykes, Jamie Hodgson, Matt Currie, Jack Blain and Charlie Savala.
British and Irish Lions trio Ali Price, Hamish Watson and Zander Fagerson are all added to the group.
Townsend told Scottish Rugby: “It has been great to see both Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors make positive starts to their URC campaigns, driven by some standout performances from both young and established players.
“With four tough Test matches ahead of us in this year’s Autumn Nations Series it is important we bring players together early, connect with them as coaches and enable them to grow as a group before the campaign gets under way against Tonga at BT Murrayfield.
“We are pleased with the depth we are able to call upon to make up this training squad and it provides a genuine opportunity for players to put their hand up for selection to the full Autumn Nations Series squad.”
Edinburgh scrum-half Ben Vellacott, who has made an excellent start to the season, is one of the most notable omissions from the group.
After Tonga, Scotland host Australia, South Africa and Japan in November.
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 13, 2021
Scotland squad for autumn internationals
Forwards: Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Nick Haining (Edinburgh Rugby), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors)*, Dylan Richardson (Cell C Sharks)*, Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Zander Fagerson ( Glasgow Warriors), Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors), Murray McCallum (Glasgow Warriors), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors)
Backs: Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors)*, Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Cole Forbes (Glasgow Warriors)*, Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors)*, Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby), Matt Currie (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), James Lang (Edinburgh Rugby), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Blain (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby), Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors)*, Charlie Savala (Edinburgh Rugby)*, Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors)*
* Denotes uncapped player.