Scotland: Finn Russell left out of autumn squad as Jamie Ritchie named captain

2 years ago 66

Finn Russell has been near retired of Scotland's squad for the upcoming autumn series, portion Jamie Ritchie has been named captain.

Stuart Hogg is backmost successful the radical aft being rested for the summertime circuit to Argentina, but volition not resume his relation arsenic skipper.

Former Australia backmost enactment Jack Dempsey has been called up for the archetypal time.

Adam Hastings returns arsenic 1 of the fly-half options, on with Blair Kinghorn and Ross Thompson.

Russell, 30, was unavailable for the archetypal lucifer against Australia, which falls extracurricular the Test window, but has been near retired altogether by caput manager Gregor Townsend with matches against Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina to beryllium played successful November.

His narration with Townsend has astatine times been strained, nary much truthful than successful 2020 erstwhile Russell, who has 62 caps, walked retired connected the squad anterior to the Six Nations and publically criticised the coach's methods.

The brace reconciled and Russell returned to the fold, but was dropped by Townsend from the starting line-up for past season's Six Nations finale against Ireland days aft being 1 of six players to embark connected an unauthorised nighttime retired astatine an Edinburgh bar.

Hogg was besides 1 of those six players, and successful the aftermath Townsend refused to corroborate if the Exeter Chiefs full-back would proceed arsenic captain.

Instead Edinburgh back-row Ritchie, who besides missed the bid decision by Argentina owed to injury, has been fixed the role.

Glasgow Warriors back-row Dempsey, 28, has 14 caps for Australia but past played for the federation of his commencement astatine the 2019 World Cup.

World Rugby's rules present let players to correspond different state if much than 3 years person passed since their past headdress for different nation.

Scotland volition lone beryllium capable to prime Scottish-based players for the opening lucifer against Australia owed to the lucifer falling extracurricular the accustomed Test window.

Scotland's Autumn squad

Forwards :Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby), Andy Christie (Saracens), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs), Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Nick Haining (Edinburgh Rugby), WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors)Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby).

Backs: Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby), Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby), Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors), Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben White (London Irish).

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