Saracens' Burke in Scotland's Six Nations squad

Fergus Burke was understudy to All Blacks playmaker Richie Mo'unga at Canterbury

Saracens' New Zealand-born stand-off Fergus Burke has been named in Scotland's squad for the 2025 Six Nations.

Burke joined the English club last summer to fill the void left by former England captain Owen Farrell's move to France.

The 25-year-old was born in Gisborne on New Zealand's North Island but is eligible for Scotland through a grandfather from Glasgow.

Gregor Townsend, preparing to lead the side into his eighth championship, has also called up uncapped Glasgow number eight Jack Mann.

Mann has excelled for the Warriors in the absence of Jack Dempsey - who is fit enough to be named in the squad - and is rewarded for his form with a first call at the age of 25.

Bordeaux lock Jonny Gray, who has 77 caps, returns to the squad after declining a call-up for the autumn Tests in order to focus on the start of his career with his new club following a long-term knee issue.

Glasgow Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu, captain for the games in November, will continue to lead the team, with Finn Russell and Rory Darge the vice-captains.

Scotland's Six Nations squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), Gregor Brown (Glasgow), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Scott Cummings (Glasgow), Rory Darge (Glasgow), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Bordeaux), Patrick Harrison (Edinburgh), Will Hurd (Leicester), Jack Mann (Glasgow), D'Arcy Rae (Edinburgh), Dylan Richardson (Sharks), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh)

Backs: Fergus Burke (Saracens), Matt Currie (Edinburgh), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), George Horne (Glasgow), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton), Huw Jones (Glasgow), Tom Jordan (Glasgow), Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Bath), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (Toulon)

Injured Steyn misses out - for now

Gray, 30, is one of five second rows named by Townsend, alongside Grant Gilchrist, Scott Cummings, Marshall Sykes and Gregor Brown - but there is no place for Max Williamson as he returns to full fitness.

There is also a recall for hooker Dave Cherry, who has not been in a squad since making an early exit from the 2023 World Cup after being concussed when falling on stairs.

The return of the 34-year-old Edinburgh forward means another disappointment for Glasgow's try-scoring hooker Johnny Matthews.

Kyle Steyn is absent with a knee injury but could play a part in the later games in the championship so the back-three options are Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Kyle Rowe.

Adam Hastings is injured, facilitating the call-up for Burke, who is one of three stand-offs in the pool along with Russell and another New Zealand-born playmaker, Tom Jordan.

Burke, who was understudy to All Blacks superstar Richie Mo'unga at Canterbury Crusaders and is also eligible for England, has leapfrogged Edinburgh pair Ross Thompson and Ben Healy to earn a place in the squad,

There are three scrum-halves in the squad - Ben White, George Horne and Jamie Dobie - while Tuipulotu is joined by four other centres - his regular midfield partner Huw Jones as well as Stafford McDowall, Matt Currie and Rory Hutchinson.

Flanker Andy Christie, a star of last year's Six Nations, and precocious back rower Freddy Douglas are both injured, while back-three option Harry Paterson has only just returned to fitness.

Scotland begin their campaign at home against Italy on 1 February, with defending champions Ireland the visitors to Murrayfield eight days later.

Scotland won twice in the 2024 Six Nations but lost tight games against France and Italy to finish fourth in the table.

'Gray has been tearing it up for Bordeaux'

Analysis - Tom English, BBC Scotland's chief sport writer

If the maxim about defences winning championships is true then the return of Jonny Gray to the Scotland fold almost two years after his last cap is potentially a big moment.

Gray is one of the most formidable defenders in European rugby, a lock who has been tearing it up with Bordeaux - the top team in France - this season.

Injury has been brutally unkind to him. A knee problem while playing for Exeter in the Champions Cup semi-final in May 2023 kept him out for a year and more. Gray was the forgotten man.

He played no rugby between May 2023 and September 2024, but his renaissance was well and truly launched in France. Gray is a massive addition to Gregor Townsend's pack, an attritional character in a hugely attritional championship.

Fergus Burke is a newcomer at 10 and, if needed, at 15. His inclusion was long mooted. He's been excellent since moving to Saracens from the Crusaders, a tough and durable operator with a big defensive game and a burgeoning attacking game.

Townsend is well sorted for 10s now and the age profiles are good. Finn Russell is 32, Adam Hastings (currently injured) is 28, Tom Jordan is 26 and Burke is 25. The future looks bright at fly-half.

The big downer was Kyle Steyn, out for a few weeks with a knee injury. It's hoped he'll be back for the Ireland game, but most likely England. Otherwise, this is an exciting squad. A champion squad? The weeks ahead will be thrilling.

Gregor Townsend was appointed Scotland coach in 2017

'He really understands attack' - Townsend on Burke

Townsend believes Burke's form has taken a step up since the autumn and that his flexibility and game nous can be a significant benefit to Scotland.

"I chatted to Fergus before he signed for Saracens. We've known about his Scottish heritage for two or three years," the former British & Irish Lions stand-off said.

"He missed a year's rugby with the Crusaders before he went to Saracens. So we've kept in touch.

"He was in consideration in November, but we didn't feel his game at that time got him into our squad. He's playing better and better the more he plays.

"There is an opening in our squad with Adam getting injured so we feel it was the right time for him. He's someone that really understands the game from an attacking perspective.

"He's a very good defender. And also he can play full-back. We saw with Tom Jordan in November, having that flexibility to play full-back was a bonus for us."