Six Nations: Scotland include McConnochie, Healy, Henderson & McDowall in squad

Ben Healy, Cameron Henderson, Ruaridh McConnochie and Stafford McDowallImage source, Getty Images
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Ben Healy, Cameron Henderson, Ruaridh McConnochie and Stafford McDowall are the uncapped quartet in Scotland's Six Nations squad

Former England wing Ruaridh McConnochie is one of four uncapped players named in Scotland's Six Nations squad.

Bath's McConnochie, 31, appeared at the last World Cup, but earned the second of his two England caps three years ago so is eligible to switch nationalities.

Leicester Tigers lock Cameron Henderson, Munster fly-half Ben Healy, and Glasgow Warriors centre Stafford McDowall could also make Test debuts.

Healy, who is to join Edinburgh, has represented Ireland at under-20 level.

However, he qualifies for Scotland through his grandparents and is called up in the absence of the injured Adam Hastings.

"Ben brings recent form, which is great," said head coach Gregor Townsend. "We feel he's got Test match ability. His kicking game is strong. He's confident, he leads the attack well when he gets the opportunity to do that."

McConnochie, who also played sevens rugby for England and won an Olympic silver medal with Great Britain in 2016, met Townsend at Bath in October and convinced him of his appetite to switch allegiances to the nation of his father's birth.

"He told me it was his ambition to get into a Scotland squad at some stage whether this season or next season," Townsend added. "His ambition now is to play for Scotland and get into a XV for this season's Six Nations.

"He has an opportunity now, an opportunity that he's earned but also that's opened up with Darcy Graham's injury."

As well as Graham, Rory Darge and Scott Cummings have not made it because of injuries, but Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown and Hamish Watson are included despite fitness concerns and Huw Jones and Sean Maitland are recalled.

Townsend's side start against England at Twickenham on 4 February before hosting Wales seven days later.

Darge and Cummings could be in contention for the second of those matches, but Graham will miss that, as well as the trip to France on 26 February.

The winger might, however, be available when Ireland and Italy come to Edinburgh on 12 and 19 March respectively.

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Scotland squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Sale), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Simon Berghan, Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown (all Glasgow), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Andy Christie (Saracens), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson (all Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Exeter), Richie Gray (Glasgow), Cameron Henderson (Leicester), WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman (all Edinburgh), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Ulster), George Turner (Glasgow), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)

Backs: Chris Harris (Gloucester), Ben Healy (Munster), Stuart Hogg (Exeter), George Horne, Huw Jones (both Glasgow), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath) Stafford McDowell, Ali Price (both Glasgow), Cameron Redpath (Bath), Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu (all Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (London Irish)

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