15 Warriors selected for Scotland summer tour

15 Glasgow Warriors will be touring with Scotland this summer, after Interim Head Coach Mike Blair named a 37-strong squad for the upcoming fixtures with England A, Romania and Georgia.

The Glasgow contingent is the largest since 17 players were selected for a 42-man training squad ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with seven Warriors also looking to earn their first cap in the famous dark blue jersey.

Fly-half Ross Thompson is amongst the uncapped group, having enjoyed a meteoric rise after breaking into the Glasgow lineup back in January.

Cole Forbes is another to receive a first call-up ahead of this summer’s tour, as the back-three star is rewarded for a run of form that has seen him make more metres with ball in hand than any other Warrior during the Guinness Rainbow Cup.

Fellow young guns Rufus McLean and Jamie Dobie will likewise be vying for a first cap, with both men having spent time with the Scotland squad during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.

Up front, there’s a first inclusion in a Scotland squad for Kiran McDonald in a week that also saw the Glasgow-born second-rower score his first try for his hometown club to secure a vital bonus-point victory over the Dragons.

Another standout performer from Saturday’s victory joins McDonald in the pack, as Player of the Match Rory Darge is named amongst the back-row options by Blair.

Adam Hastings is the most experienced Warrior named in the playing group with 23 caps, with livewire scrum-half George Horne returning to the international arena after missing the Guinness Six Nations through injury.

Similarly, Scott Cummings is recalled to the squad after missing the victory over France due to a hand injury – the first time since his debut in 2019 that the second-rower had been absent from a matchday 23 for Scotland.

George Turner and Matt Fagerson will both be looking to continue their impressive form in a Scotland shirt, following on from a standout Guinness Six Nations campaign from both players.

Grant Stewart joins fellow hooker Turner in the squad as he looks to add to his three caps to date, joining Oli Kebble in the front-row options available to the Scotland coaching team.

There is also a call-up for Kyle Steyn after his scintillating form for the Warriors since returning from a long-term injury, with the former Scotland 7s star in contention for a second cap 16 months on from his debut against France in March 2020.

Incoming signing Sione Tuipulotu completes the Glasgow contingent having recently arrived in Scotland, and will link up with the national setup following his mandatory quarantine period.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors Lead Performance Analyst Greg Woolard will also be touring with Scotland this summer, as he joins the national setup with Gavin Vaughan on British and Irish Lions duty.

Woolard joins Pete Murchie amongst the management team, with Murchie having previously been confirmed as an Assistant Coach for the tour.

Following selection, Blair told scottishrugby.org: “We have selected a mix of genuine Test match experience and a number of players who have impressed in the recent past to warrant a place in a squad that will want to continue the positive progress we have built up on and off the pitch in recent months.

“England A, Romania and Georgia will each pose different and tough challenges and we will have to be operating at our best to enjoy success, continuing on from some promising performances during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.

“With the next Rugby World Cup two years away this period gives us an opportunity to increase our depth in key positions and work with players who can put up their hands for international selection this summer, and beyond.”

Scotland Squad for 2021 summer series

Forwards

Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) – Uncapped
Nick Auterac (Northampton Saints) – Uncapped
Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) – Uncapped
Simon Berghan (Edinburgh Rugby) – 31 caps
Jamie Bhatti (Bath Rugby) – 18 caps
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby) – 14 caps
David Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) – 5 caps
Alex Craig (Gloucester Rugby) – 2 caps
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps
Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors – 13 caps
Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers) – Uncapped
Robin Hislop (Doncaster Knights) – Uncapped
Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors) – 8 caps
Kiran McDonald (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN – 27 caps
Javan Sebastian (Scarlets) – Uncapped
Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs) – 12 caps
Grant Stewart (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps

Backs

Jack Blain (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Cole Forbes (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 23 caps
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps
Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby) – 4 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) – 25 caps
James Lang (Harlequins) – 6 caps
Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Matt Scott (Leicester Tigers) – 39 caps
Charlie Shiel (Edinburgh Rugby) – Uncapped
Scott Steele (London Irish) – 4 caps
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) – Uncapped