Six Nations: Scotland include Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke in squad as Jonny Gray returns from injury

Scotland have called up uncapped Saracens fly-half Fergus Burke to their squad for the Six Nations.

Head coach Gregor Townsend announced on Wednesday an enlarged 37-player squad that will gather ahead of their tournament opener at home to Italy on February 1.

New Zealand-born Burke, was also eligible to represent the All Blacks or England, has impressed since joining Saracens from Crusaders last year.

Glasgow forward Jack Mann is the only other uncapped player to be selected, while there are notable recalls for Jonny Gray and Dave Cherry.

Glasgow captain Kyle Steyn is the most notable absentee from Townsend’s squad after sustaining an injury in recent days.

Burke qualifies to play for Scotland through the lineage of his Glasgow-born grandfather, but also could have played for England courtesy of his mother.

The 25-year-old will provide competition for Scotland’s star player Finn Russell, with Tom Jordan the other option at No 10.

Back-rower Mann, also 25, has been playing number eight for Glasgow recently while Jack Dempsey has been injured, although the latter is fit again and included in the Scotland squad despite not playing a match since the November defeat by South Africa.

Gray’s inclusion is eye-catching as he won the last of his 77 caps almost two years ago, in the Six Nations match at home to Italy in March 2023.

The 30-year-old second-rower, who missed the 2023 World Cup with a knee injury, appeared to have burned his bridges under Townsend when the head coach expressed “disappointment” in October that he had declined a call-up for the autumn series after returning to action with Bordeaux at the start of this season.

Another player handed a surprise recall for the upcoming championship is 34-year-old Cherry, who has not been included in a single squad since making an early exit from the 2023 World Cup after suffering a concussion when falling on stairs on a day off at the team hotel in Nice the day after coming on as a substitute in the pool-stage opener against South Africa.

Sione Tuipulotu, who was handed the captaincy for the autumn series, continues as skipper, with Russell and Rory Darge named as vice-captains.

Scotland squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Gregor Brown (Glasgow), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Scott Cummings (Glasgow), Rory Darge (Glasgow), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Bordeaux), Patrick Harrison (Edinburgh), Will Hurd (Leicester), Jack Mann (Glasgow), D’Arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Dylan Richardson (Sharks), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh).

Backs: Fergus Burke (Saracens), Matt Currie (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), George Horne (Glasgow), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton), Huw Jones (Glasgow), Tom Jordan (Glasgow), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Bath), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (Toulon).

Six Nations 2025 fixtures: Scotland

• February 1: Italy (h)
• February 9: Ireland (h)
• February 22: England (a)
• March 8: Wales (h)
• March 15: France (a)