As the 2026 Six Nations tournament looms, Scotland’s head coach Gregor Townsend is feeling the heat, aiming to catapult his team from last season’s fourth-place finish and a disheartening November performance. Townsend, undeterred, has named a formidable 40-player squad, supplemented by a 15-player A group set to face Italy A, signaling his intent to shake things up.
The Scottish brigade will commence their campaign in Rome against Italy, followed by a highly anticipated Calcutta Cup showdown with England at Murrayfield. Next, they're off to Cardiff to face Wales, then back home to challenge the reigning champions, France. Their final bout will be against Ireland in Dublin. Among these fixtures, the Wales match will exclusively air on S4C, with the BBC and ITV sharing broadcasting rights for other selected games.
"I'm still a student of this role."
The words of Ben White, currently sharpening his skills at Toulon, reflect a humble yet strategic approach to enhancing Scotland’s prospects this Six Nations.
The squad is a blend of seasoned warriors and fresh blood. In the forwards, notable names include Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, and the hard-hitting Jamie Ritchie. The backs are spearheaded by Finn Russell, with support from electric talents like Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe. The A squad also looks robust with players like Cameron Redpath and Gus Warr expected to push for senior team inclusion.
The tournament schedule for Scotland is as follows: They kick off against Italy at Stadio Olimpico on February 7, followed by England at Murrayfield on February 14. The Wales clash is on February 21 at Principality Stadium. They then host France on March 7 and wrap up against Ireland on March 14 at Aviva Stadium. Refereeing will be managed by a mix of seasoned officials including Ben O’Keeffe and Luke Pearce.
With a squad brimming with talent and a strategic coach at the helm, Scotland is poised to make a significant impact in the 2026 Six Nations, potentially turning the tide of recent performances.
Scotland Six Nations Squad:
Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Magnus Bradbury, Gregor Brown, Dave Cherry, Scott Cummings, Alex Craig, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Freddy Douglas, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Nathan McBeth, Liam McConnell, Elliot Millar Mills, D’arcy Rae, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, George Turner, Max Williamson
Backs: Fergus Burke, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Finn Russell, Kyle Rowe, Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White
Scotland A Squad: Forwards: Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, Cameron Henderson, Alec Hepburn, Gregor Hiddleston, Will Hurd