Two Lions missing from Scotland's Nations Championship squad

Blair Kinghorn and Huw Jones are two notable absentees from Gregor Townsend’s 36-player Scotland squad for the upcoming Nations Championship fixtures against Argentina, South Africa and Fiji.

The celebrated duo, with 125 caps between them, have been given the summer off, while veteran lock Grant Gilchrist, former captain Jamie Ritchie and hooker George Turner are also ewxcluded.

However, Duhan van Merwe has made the cut, even though he will be on Barbarians duty, along with D’arcy Rae and Liam McConnell, in the build-up to the new global competition.

No.8 Jack Dempsey is also in, even though he’s set to join Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo ahead of next season.

Uncapped duo, Glasgow Warriors hookers Gregor Hiddleston and Seb Stephen, have been called up to cover Ewan Ashman, Scotland men’s top-scoring forward.

For Scott Cummings, Pierre Schoeman and Rory Sutherland, there is an opportunity to reach 50 caps. Cummings and Schoeman are on 49 caps, while Sutherland is two away from the milestone.

Scotland travel away to Argentina on Saturday 4 July and South Africa on Saturday 11 July, before returning to Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday 18 July to play Fiji.

Scotland squad:

Forwards (22)

Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (35)
Josh Bayliss – Bath Rugby (16)
Magnus Bradbury – Edinburgh Rugby (22)
Gregor Brown – Glasgow Warriors (16)
Scott Cummings – Glasgow Warriors (49)
Rory Darge – Glasgow Warriors (39)
Jack Dempsey – Glasgow Warriors (33)
Freddy Douglas – Edinburgh Rugby (2)
Matt Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (64)
Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (81)
Jonny Gray – Perpignan (81)
Gregor Hiddleston – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Will Hurd – Leicester Tigers (10)
Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (8)
Liam McConnell – Edinburgh Rugby (1)
Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (14)
D’arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (7)
Alex Samuel – Glasgow Warriors (3)
Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (49)
Seb Stephen – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)
Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (48)
Max Williamson – Glasgow Warriors (13)

Backs (14)

Fergus Burke – Saracens (3)
Jamie Dobie – Glasgow Warriors (19)
Darcy Graham – Edinburgh Rugby (55)
George Horne – Glasgow Warriors (45)
Rory Hutchinson – Northampton Saints (11)
Tom Jordan – Bristol Bears (17)
Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (16)
Kyle Rowe – Glasgow Warriors (17)
Finn Russell – Bath Rugby (94)
Ollie Smith – Glasgow Warriors (12)
Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (33)
Sione Tuipulotu – Captain – Glasgow Warriors (38)
Duhan van der Merwe – Edinburgh Rugby (53)
Ben White – Toulon (36)