Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named four players in his 2024 Six Nations squad, who have not yet received their Scotland debut. However, one of the players has previously ran out for England, whilst another was on the radar for a call-up into Steve Borthwick’s side.
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Townsend was the first of the four ‘home nation’ sides to name his squad, with the announcement coming earlier today. The bulk of the group is the core side that ran-out for Scotland throughout the 2023 Rugby World Cup. However, this will be the Scotland’s first Six Nations since 2011 to not feature fullback talisman Stuart Hogg, as the former Glasgow and Exeter star hung up his boots ahead of the trip to France last Autumn.
As the Northern Hemisphere nations gear up for their first test matches of the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle, this upcoming Six Nations is expected to have a ‘new era’ feel to it. Gregor Townsend was reported to be interested in three potential England talents for the tournament, yet did not name the Sale Sharks duo of Tom Roebuck and Gus Warr in his squad. Despite the missed opportunities from the AJ Bell, one promising Sharks flyer has signed on with Scotland and was named amongst the squad today.
Here are the four uncapped Scotland players, that Gregor Townsend has named in his 2024 Six Nations squad.
1. Alec Hepburn – Exeter Chiefs
An immediate talking point from Gregor Townsend’s squad announcement, was the confirmation that Alec Hepburn has swapped nations after previously running out for six England caps. The Exeter Chiefs prop made his England debut in the 2018 Six Nations, with replacement cameo appearances against Italy and Wales. Hepburn played for less than 10 minutes on both occasions, but then later made his first England start against South Africa the following Autumn.
Hepburn played in subsequent Autumn Internationals against New Zealand, Japan and Australia, before being let go from the England fold by former head coach Eddie Jones. Hepburn has not featured for England since the 2018 Autumn Series, which permits him to play for a new nation due to the surpassing the three-year stand down period. The prop also qualifies for Scotland through his Glasgow-born father, and is a welcomed asset into Townsend’s squad.
Hepburn has quite the international flavour to his ancestry, as he was born in Perth, Australia, which enabled him to play for the Wallabies before committing to Scotland. At club level, Hepburn has long been a fan favourite at Sandy Park, and is currently in his eighth season with Exeter Chiefs. Hepburn has been apart of the Devonshire club’s finest moments, as Exeter won the 2019/20 Premiership and Champions Cup double, and more recently the 2022/23 Premiership Rugby Cup.
2. Arron Reed – Sale Sharks
Townsend’s selection of Arron Reed is another noteworthy pick, as the Sale wing had garnered the interest of Steve Borthwick and the England set-up. One of the break-out stars of the last few Premiership seasons, Reed was an integral part of the Sale side that reached their first Final since the 2005/06 campaign. Despite coming out on the losing side to Saracens, Reed had shot into test match contention, along with back-three teammates Tom Roebuck and Joe Carpenter.
Reed has been apart of Sale Sharks since 2017, and has already amassed 100 caps for the Greater Manchester club. Despite Borthwick not calling upon his talents for the England senior set-up, Reed’s skillset were recognised at an early age, as he made four appearances for the England U20s side. However, these age-group honours never transcended into a senior cap in the red rose, with Reed more than happy to swap allegiances for the Scottish thistle, in the upcoming Six Nations.
During his time with Sale, Reed has scored 28 tries, earning him a strike rate of 0.3 tries per game. The wing has been on top form again this season, with six Premiership tries to his name. Reed’s tries this season have all come in a run of three consecutive matches, as he crossed over for an impressive brace of against Gloucester, grabbed one try against Bristol and scored twice again in the win over Newcastle. November 2023 was certainly a hot month for Reed, who will be hoping to heat up the Six Nations in the Scotland jersey.
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