Scotland 6 Nations squad

[psychic duck]

Scott Johnson has named his first Scotland squad for the 6 Nations.

Loosehead Props
Alasdair Dickinson (Sale)
Ryan Grant (Glasgow)

Hookers
Dougie Hall (Glasgow)
Ross Ford (Edinburgh)
Pat MacArthur (Glasgow)

Tighthead Props
Geoff Cross (Edinburgh)
Moray Low (Glasgow)
Euan Murray (Worcester)

Locks
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh)
Richie Gray (Sale)
Jim Hamilton (Gloucester)
Alastair Kellock (Glasgow)

Flankers
Kelly Brown (Saracens)
Chris Fusaro (Glasgow)
Rob Harley (Glasgow)

Number 8's
Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier)
Dave Denton (Edinburgh)
Richie Vernon (Sale)
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow)

Scrum Halves
Sean Kennedy (Glasgow)
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow)

Fly Halves
Tom Heathcote (Bath)
Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow)
Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh)
Duncan Weir (Glasgow)

Centres
Alex Dunbar (Glasgow)
Max Evans (Castres)
Peter Horne (Glasgow)
Matt Scott (Edinburgh)

Wings
Sean Lamont (Glasgow)
Sean Maitland (Glasgow)
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow)
Tim Visser (Edinburgh)

Full Backs
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow)
Peter Murchie (Glasgow)

Injured/Unavailable
John Barclay (Glasgow)
Chris Cusiter (Glasgow)
Nick de Luca (Edinburgh)
Scott Lawson (London Irish)
Ross Rennie (Edinburgh)
Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan)
Jon Welsh (Glasgow)

 

[Patchey]

Some interesting choices, a back three of Maitland, Visser and Hogg could be pretty handy.

Also, as all the English born/raised player have been listed shouldn't it be pointed out that Sean Maitland is a Kiwi with a Scottish grnadmother?

 

[retardedgenius]

good selection my team would be

1) grant
2) Hall
3) Murray
4) Gilchrist
5) Gray
6) Wilson
7)Denton/Harley
8) Beattie
9)Pyrgos/Laidlaw
10) Laidlaw/Weir
12) Scott
13) Horn/Dunbar
14) Maitland
11) Visser
15) Hogg

 

[nickdnz]

Haha, love seeing Maitland in there. How's he been performing for Glasgow so far?

 

[Draggs]

Haha, love seeing Maitland in there. How's he been performing for Glasgow so far?

Doesn't matter. He isn't Rory Lamont.

One Scotland born and raised wing?

 

[Larksea]

kinda strange seeing maitland there, few months ago he was a crusader and a year ago he was a fringe All Black, out of nowhere he's in the Scotland squad.

Good luck too him, though he has admitted his goal was to be an All Black and he really was unlucky not to get a shot at it. With Rokocoko, Sivivatu and howlett going overseas there was a quite significant period where he was the best specialist 14 in New Zealand but the selectors went with Cory Jane who was a fullback to be the primary 14, there cant have been much in it. As fate has it if Robbie Deans had got the job I'm 85% sure he would have made the All Blacks at some point, must have been strange being one of the only long term established first choice Crusaders not to have pulled on an All Black jersey. Heck even Scott Hamilton got a couple of tests.

One thing I note about Maitland is that he's actually a bloody good fullback, was blown away by some of his performances in ITM cup there and wondered if that may have been a better position for him full time.

 

[dudeabides]

Good luck to Seymour, he's never had playing time for the international team and the Six Nations would be a hell of a way to start.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Maitland must have been crushed to not make ABs and I guess after this year, realized they were breading new guys...

I still wonder how Scotland were able to convince him to come play for them. They must have been some smooth talkers.

Interesting to see how the team does this year. Starting off against England will be hard.

 

[psychic duck]

How an earth Dickinson or Cross made this squad is beyond me.

Dickinson has always been not great and is hasn't been playing much for Sale of late and is kept out of their team by a kid prop Harrison and Fridge, now he's guaranteed to be at least on the bench to face England. Meanwhile Geoff Cross has simply been dire this season.

I'm surprised Rory Lawson hasn't made the squad to offer an experienced scrum half. Kennedy is fourth choice at Glasgow behind Cusiter, Pyrgos and Matawalu, Johnson must see a lot in him as he has basically been plucked out of Scottish Premiership rugby and just a couple of Glasgow games.

I would have selected Dougie Fife ahead of Seymour as well.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Dickinsons not been kept out by Harrison, he's been injured for aaagggeeeessss - since before the end of last season I think.
Does, equally, beg the question why he's going straight back into international rugby after only two showings from the bench.

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

 

[Big Ewis]

There are a couple of matches Scotland cannot win I'd say. The start and finish to their run, in London and Paris.
But then they've got, in between, 3 matches at home: against Italy to take their revenge from last year. Then Ireland, then Wales.

They seriously need to give it their all in those 3 at home in Murrayfield. I think the Wales one can be an interesting match, Ireland should be a little too much for them, and they should (MUST) get Italy.
At least they've got three chances at home this year...that should avoid them the Spoon hopefully for them.