Fit-again Lions duo return to Scotland squad for Nations Championship

Blair Kinghorn and Huw Jones are ready to pull on a Scotland jersey again for the first time since the Guinness Six Nations after being named in Gregor Townsend’s Nations Championship squad for November.

The celebrated duo, with 131 caps between them, were given the summer off and have recently overcome knocks to be considered for selection for the Murrayfield Tests against New Zealand (7 November), Australia (15 November) and Japan (21 November).

Senior trio Jamie Ritchie, Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe have also been included after returning recently from injuries.

Glasgow hooker Seb Stephen, who made his debut in the summer, has kept his place alongside other recent additions to the forward pack, Liam McConnell and Gregor Hiddleston.

Influential back-rower Jack Dempsey has retained his place despite leaving Glasgow in the summer to move to Japan.

Experienced lock Grant Gilchrist – who recently returned from injury – is a notable absentee from the squad, while Hector Patterson had been touted for potential involvement after a bright start to the season but the Edinburgh scrum-half has not made the cut.

Sione Tuipulotu leads the 37-strong group, which includes uncapped Newcastle back-row forward Ollie Leatherbarrow. The 24-year-old qualifies for Scotland through his Perth-born grandmother.

Leatherbarrow began his career at Exeter Chiefs before moving to Newcastle Red Bulls in 2023 and has previously represented Scotland at U16 and U20 level.

Scrum-half George Horne will reach 50 caps for Scotland if he features in all three Tests.

Scotland squad for 2026 Nations Championship fixtures at Murrayfield (caps in brackets):

Forwards (21)

Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (37)
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (17)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (19)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (52)
Alex Craig – Glasgow Warriors (7)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (41)
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (35)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (66)
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (84)
Jonny Gray – Perpignan (83)
Gregor Hiddleston – Glasgow Warriors (3)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (11)
Ollie Leatherbarrow – Newcastle Falcons (uncapped)
Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (8)
Liam McConnell – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (15)
Jamie Ritchie – Glasgow Warriors (63)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (52)
Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (51)
Seb Stephen – Glasgow Warriors (1)
Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (15)

Backs (16)

Fergus Burke – Saracens (5)
Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (22)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (57)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (47)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (13)
Huw Jones – Toulon (63)
Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (20)
Blair Kinghorn – Toulouse (68)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (18)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (19)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (95)
Ollie Smith – Glasgow Warriors (13)
Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (35)
Sione Tuipulotu – Captain – Glasgow Warriors (41)
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (54)
Ben White – Toulon (38)