Ex-England prop Alec Hepburn among four uncapped players in Scotland squad for Six Nations

Former England prop Alec Hepburn is one of four uncapped players included in Scotland's 39-man squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

The 29-year Exeter loosehead, who won six caps under Eddie Jones in 2018, has completed his three-year stand-down period to switch allegiance to the nation of his father’s birth.

Leicester tighthead Will Hurd, Sale winger Arron Reed – both 24 – and 22-year-old Edinburgh back Harry Paterson are the other three new additions in Gregor Townsend’s squad.

Northampton back Rory Hutchinson will be looking to add to his eight caps after returning to the fold for the first time since appearing in two Tests on the tour to Argentina in 2022, while Gloucester stand-off Adam Hastings is back in after missing the World Cup last autumn through injury.

Josh Bayliss, Kyle Rowe and Stafford McDowall are also restored after being cut from the World Cup training squad in the summer.

Glasgow trio Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey and Kyle Steyn have all made the selection despite their recent injury lay-offs, although Darge is unlikely to be fit until midway through the tournament.

The most notable absentees from the squad are Hamish Watson, Rory Sutherland and Chris Harris – all of whom played for the British and Irish Lions in South Africa in 2021.

Hooker Dave Cherry – who departed the World Cup squad in September after falling down stairs at the team hotel in Nice on a day off – has also been omitted, with on-form Glasgow forward Johnny Matthews added to the squad.

Scotland kick off their campaign away to Wales on 3 February. Ireland will face the Scots on 16 March on the final day of action.