Alec Hepburn: Scotland call-up surprised Exeter boss Rob Baxter

Alec Hepburn's only start for Exeter this season came in their European Champions Cup win over Glasgow last week

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says he was surprised by Alec Hepburn's Scotland Six Nations call-up.

The 30-year-old prop, who won six caps for England in 2018, is eligible for through his Scottish-born father.

He has taken advantage of rules that allow a switch of national team allegiance after a three-year period.

"I did know he had dual eligibility, but it wasn't one of those things that I ever really stopped and considered would happen until now," Baxter said.

"That's come about very quickly, Gregor Townsend's really pleased with watching him play and it's an interesting situation for Alec.

"It's going to be another great experience for him, which is obviously what we want the players to have."

Situation may feel 'awkward' for Hepburn

Hepburn, who was born in Australia, moved to the UK as a youngster and was part of Wasps' academy and the England Under-20 setup before joining then-Championship side London Welsh.

He returned to Australia in 2014 before coming back to England to join Exeter the following year.

He has played 173 times for Exeter, helping them win two Premiership titles and the 2020 Champions Cup.

"As weird as it all seems, I think probably the oddest person it's for is probably Alec," Baxter told BBC Sport.

"I think he's probably in the most awkward position in that he probably doesn't want to get caught in this debate on talking about Scotland because he hasn't played in Scotland - unless we play Glasgow - as we haven't played Edinburgh in the cups.

"He's played there a few times, but he's never trained in a Scotland camp, he's never played with any of those lads, so he's probably feeling a little bit awkward about everything.

"So he just probably needs to get the Six Nations camp done and get settled in and then he can probably start to have a few feelings on what it'll actually feel like and what it'll be like."

Alec Hepburn made two starts and four replacement appearances for England in 2018