Hogg named in World Cup training squad
By Mark Stevens
9/5/23
Former Scotland captains Stuart Hogg and Stuart McInally remain on course for World Cup swansongs after the pair were named in Gregor Townsend’s 41-man pre-tournament training squad.
The experienced duo announced recently that they will retire from rugby to pursue other interests after this year’s showpiece in France.
While Exeter Chiefs full-back Hogg was always expected to be included in the squad, there was some doubt about whether Edinburgh hooker McInally would be included.
In a squad of few major surprises, Glasgow back Stafford McDowall and Leicester lock Cam Henderson are the only uncapped players included, although both were involved in the Six Nations squad earlier this year.
Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham and Glasgow flanker Rory Darge are both back in the mix after missing the Six Nations through injury. However, Exeter Chiefs second row Jonny Gray has not been included after suffering a serious knee injury in the recent Heineken Champions Cup semi-final loss to La Rochelle.
Fraser Brown, Johnny Matthews and Mark Bennett are among the most notable absentees from the group, which will gather for an initial training camp on May 29 to begin preparations for warm-up matches at home to France, Italy and Georgia and away to the French in July and August.
The squad will then be trimmed to 33 ahead of the tournament in which Scotland will be in a group alongside South Africa, Ireland, Tonga and Romania. Their first match is against the Springboks in Marseille on Sunday, September 10.
SCOTLAND WORLD CUP TRAINING SQUAD
Forwards (23):
Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks) 7 caps
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps
Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps
Andy Christie (Saracens) 4 caps
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 4 caps
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 25 caps
Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 7 caps
Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 9 caps
Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 33 caps
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 58 caps
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 62 caps
Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 73 caps
Cameron Henderson (Leicester Tigers) uncapped
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby) 47 caps
WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 54 caps
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby, capt) 41 caps
Pierre, Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 21 caps
Javan Sebastian (Scarlets) 3 caps
Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 25 caps
Rory Sutherland (Ulster Rugby) 23 caps
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps
Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 57 caps.
Backs (18)
Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) 1 cap
Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 33 caps
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 42 caps
Adam Hastings (Gloucester Rugby) 27 caps
Ben Healy (Munster Rugby) 1 caps
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) 100 caps
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 20 caps
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 36 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 43 caps
Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) uncapped
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 61 caps
Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 5 caps
Finn Russell (Racing 92) 69 caps
Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 3 caps
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 16 caps
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 28 caps
Ben White (London Irish) 14 caps.