Six Nations: Scotland’s underperformers told ‘no-one is undroppable’ ahead of Italy match

The Six Nations has not gone according to plan for Scotland and the players have been told that no-one is undroppable as they prepare to resume their campaign against Italy this weekend.

Gregor Townsend’s were fancied by many to mount a challenge for the title this season and the coach himself spoke of his squad being the strongest he had worked with since 1999 when he was player in the last Scotland team to win the championship.

The sense of optimism was heightened by a win over England on the opening weekend but subsequent defeats by Wales and France have left the Scots in fourth place, nine points adrift of Fabien Galthie’s side who lead the standings.

Now Townsend has added four players to his squad as they prepare for Rome, including two new stand-offs.

Having begun the campaign with only two No 10s in Finn Russell and Blair Kinghorn, the coach has doubled his options in the playmaker’s position by calling up Adam Hastings – surprisingly overlooked from the initial squad – and Glasgow Warriors’ Ross Thompson.

There is also a return for Jonny Gray, who damaged his ankle against Wales, and fellow lock Glen Young, the uncapped Edinburgh player.

Having already lost the services of Jamie Ritchie, Rory Sutherland and Scott Cummings to injury, Scotland confirmed on Monday that Nick Haining, Oli Kebble, Marshall Sykes, Ollie Smith and Rufus McLean would also miss the Italy game.

The sense that things are being shaken up was given added weight by Pieter de Villiers, the Scotland scrum expert. While the likes of Russell, Stuart Hogg and Hamish Watson have long been considered totems of this squad, the message from the assistant coach is that players will be picked on form.

“Nobody is undroppable,” said de Villiers. “We have a