Gregor Townsend has named a 36-player Scotland squad for the inaugural Nations Championship that is notable as much for who has been left out as for who has been included. Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones, Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist and George Turner — five players with a combined 225 caps — are all absent as Scotland prepare for a daunting summer schedule that takes them to Argentina on 4 July, South Africa on 11 July and back to Scottish Gas Murrayfield to host Fiji on 18 July.

Key team news:

• Blair Kinghorn, Huw Jones, Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist and George Turner all absent from 36-man squad
• Uncapped Glasgow Warriors hookers Gregor Hiddleston and Seb Stephen earn maiden call-ups
• Scott Cummings and Pierre Schoeman sit one cap away from their 50th appearances
• Jack Dempsey included despite imminent move to Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
• Duhan van der Merwe returns to the fold after being dropped during the Six Nations
• Sione Tuipulotu continues as captain for fixtures against Argentina, South Africa and Fiji

The headline selection call sees Townsend rest Kinghorn, whose Toulouse side remain involved in the Top 14 semi-finals. The full-back has played a relentless year without a meaningful break and was also on duty with the British and Irish Lions last summer. “We wanted him to have a bigger break this season, he didn’t get that after the Lions tour last year,” Townsend explained, with Ollie Smith and Tom Jordan set to compete for the number 15 jersey in his absence.

Jones misses out through injury. The British and Irish Lions centre is returning from a foot problem but will not be match fit in time for the opening fixture against the Pumas. Ritchie’s ankle injury, which first surfaced against England in February’s Six Nations, has ended his tour hopes, while hooker Turner has been ruled out with an Achilles problem. Hooker Dave Cherry also misses out with a back issue.

The decision to rest Gilchrist is a long-term strategic one. At 35, the veteran Edinburgh lock has been a near ever-present for Scotland over the past two seasons and Townsend is thinking ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. “We really want him to be playing his best rugby next year and get to a World Cup, that’s the goal for him,” the head coach said. “We feel having a longer break this summer will help that.”

In their absence, two uncapped Glasgow Warriors hookers provide the freshest faces in the squad. Gregor Hiddleston, 24, has two Scotland A caps and Under-20 experience, while Seb Stephen, still only 20, featured for Emerging Scotland last year and signed his first professional contract with the Warriors in April. Both join Ewan Ashman, Scotland’s all-time highest scoring men’s forward, as the three hooker options — a young trio that highlights the squad’s forward-looking nature.

Townsend made no attempt to downplay the scale of the challenge awaiting his side. “It is a much tougher tour than ever before, certainly in the time I’ve been coach,” he said. “Not only with the travel, but the opposition. Three teams in the top eight in the world and one being the number one team in the world.” The match against South Africa at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria represents a particularly stern examination, with the Springboks currently the top-ranked side in the world. “We feel as strong a team as possible will give us the best chance of winning. But also we’re going to get a lot of learning from these games to take into next season.”

Scotland finished third in this year’s Six Nations with three wins from five and will be looking to build on that momentum. Sione Tuipulotu continues as captain and is one of a strong Glasgow Warriors contingent that dominates the squad. The Warriors provide the majority of the selections, with Edinburgh Rugby, and a smattering of players based in England and France, making up the balance.

The return of Duhan van der Merwe is significant. The Edinburgh wing was dropped during the Six Nations after an inconsistent start to the campaign but comes back into the fold alongside fellow back-three operators Darcy Graham — who joins fresh from a stint with GB Sevens — Kyle Rowe and Kyle Steyn. Van der Merwe will be involved with the Barbarians before linking up with the Scotland camp, featuring in matches against South Africa in Gqeberha on 20 June and Wales in Cardiff on 27 June. D’arcy Rae and Liam McConnell will also be on Barbarians duty before joining up.

There are enticing milestone opportunities within the squad. Scott Cummings and Pierre Schoeman both sit on 49 caps and could reach their half-centuries in the opener against Argentina. Rory Sutherland is two appearances away from 50 and could achieve the landmark during the tour. Finn Russell, at 94 caps, continues to lead the way among the backs and is selected alongside Fergus Burke and Bristol Bears’ Tom Jordan as the three fly-half options.

Edinburgh’s young back-row contingent provides further evidence of the development pathway Townsend is nurturing. Freddy Douglas, with two caps, and Liam McConnell, with one, are included alongside their club captain Magnus Bradbury. They join an experienced loose forward group featuring Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey and Josh Bayliss of Bath.

Dempsey’s inclusion is noteworthy given his confirmed move to Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo ahead of next season. The Australia-born number eight will leave Glasgow Warriors after the tour, making these potentially his final appearances in a Scotland jersey for the foreseeable future. Adam Hastings is among the other notable omissions, with no place in the squad for the fly-half.

The second-row stocks look strong despite Gilchrist’s absence. Jonny Gray, now plying his trade at Perpignan, provides 81 caps’ worth of experience alongside Cummings, while Max Williamson, Gregor Brown and Alex Samuel — all Glasgow Warriors — offer younger options. Both Williamson and Brown missed the end of the URC season through injury but are fit enough for selection.

The scrum-half berths go to Glasgow pair Jamie Dobie and George Horne alongside Ben White, who has been playing his club rugby at Toulon. In midfield, Tuipulotu is joined by Stafford McDowall and Rory Hutchinson of Northampton Saints.

Scotland’s challenge this summer is one of balance — maintaining the momentum of a strong Six Nations while blooding younger talent against three of the world’s top-eight ranked sides. The inclusion of Hiddleston and Stephen signals an investment in the future hooking stocks, while the resting of Kinghorn and Gilchrist shows a coach with one eye firmly on the World Cup cycle.

The autumn portion of the Nations Championship awaits later in the year, and how Scotland emerge from this summer’s fixtures could shape the tone of the entire campaign.

Scotland squad for Nations Championship

Forwards (22): Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby, 35 caps), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby, 16), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby, 22), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors, 16), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors, 49), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors, 39), Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors, 33), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby, 2), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, 64), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, 81), Jonny Gray (Perpignan, 81), Gregor Hiddleston (Glasgow Warriors, uncapped), Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers, 10), Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors, 8), Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby, 1), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints, 14), D’arcy Rae (Edinburgh Rugby, 7), Alex Samuel (Glasgow Warriors, 3), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby, 49), Seb Stephen (Glasgow Warriors, uncapped), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors, 48), Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors, 13).

Backs (14): Fergus Burke (Saracens, 3), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors, 19), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby, 55), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors, 45), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints, 11), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears, 17), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors, 16), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors, 17), Finn Russell (Bath Rugby, 94), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors, 12), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors, 33), Sione Tuipulotu (captain, Glasgow Warriors, 38), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby, 53), Ben White (Toulon, 36).

Nations Championship fixtures: Argentina v Scotland, Cordoba, Saturday 4 July. South Africa v Scotland, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Saturday 11 July. Scotland v Fiji, Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Saturday 18 July.

The biggest story to emerge from Steve Borthwick’s latest England squad announcement is not who has been included, but who has been left out. Captain Maro Itoje is conspicuously absent from the 26-man group named for a three-day training camp at Pennyhill Park, with the 31-year-old’s involvement in the inaugural Nations Championship looking increasingly unlikely barring a sudden rush of injuries elsewhere.

Key team news:

• England captain Maro Itoje left out of 26-man training squad with summer rest expected
• Saracens wing Tobias Elliott earns call-up after impressive end to Premiership season
• Harlequins loosehead Will Hobson involved in senior set-up for the first time
• Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon and Ben Redshaw among uncapped hopefuls included
• Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso named in rehabilitation group
• No players from Premiership semi-finalists Bath, Northampton, Leicester or Exeter

Borthwick had flagged the possibility of resting Itoje last month, describing his captain’s availability for the 25,000-mile July tour as an “ongoing conversation.” The second row has racked up more Test minutes than any other player in the game since making his debut in 2016, led the British and Irish Lions to a 2-1 series triumph in Australia last summer, and has endured significant personal grief following the loss of his mother earlier this year. He briefly attended last month’s training camp before returning home early, a departure planned in advance by England’s staff.

It is understood that Borthwick would ideally like to give Itoje a complete summer off, with his inclusion dependent on the availability of other second-row options. Arthur Clark, Nick Isiekwe and Hugh Tizard are the lock candidates named in this squad, while Ollie Chessum, George Martin and Alex Coles are all currently tied up with the Premiership semi-finals and could bolster the position when the full squad is confirmed on 22 June.

The immediate focus for this group is the uncapped fixture between an England XV and a France XV at the Stade de la Rabine in Vannes on 19 June. England’s Nations Championship campaign begins in earnest when they face world champions South Africa in Johannesburg on 4 July, followed by matches against Fiji on 11 July and Argentina on 18 July. All three Tests will be broadcast live on ITV Sport.

While Itoje’s absence dominates the headlines, this squad does offer opportunities for several emerging talents. Tobias Elliott, the 22-year-old Saracens wing, has earned his call-up on the back of an outstanding run of form. After an injury-disrupted start to the campaign, Elliott scored seven tries in 16 league appearances and was particularly impressive during Saracens’ late surge towards the play-off places, crossing five times in his last six Premiership outings against Harlequins and Exeter.

Will Hobson, the 23-year-old Harlequins loosehead, is involved in the senior set-up for the first time having previously featured for England A. His inclusion is significant given Borthwick’s somewhat precarious front-row situation. Will Stuart has been sidelined since December with a ruptured Achilles tendon, Fin Baxter requires another operation on his foot and will miss the Nations Championship entirely, Trevor Davison’s season was ended by a serious knee injury at Northampton, and Bevan Rodd has not played since early April. Ellis Genge, meanwhile, suffered a calf complaint during Bristol’s penultimate Premiership fixture against Bath and has been named in a rehabilitation group alongside hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and the unfortunate Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.

The Exeter wing’s latest setback required surgery to insert a plate in his jaw following a collision in the match against Leicester. Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter offered a cautious update, explaining that the situation was being monitored closely. “It’s an assessment almost on a weekly basis,” Baxter said. “He knew he’d picked up a bang but he thought he’d just loosened a tooth. It was only when we had the X-rays done that it came out.” Baxter was clear that the player’s welfare would take priority over any desire to rush him back: “He will not be rushed back into any match situation. We’ve been given various scenarios — could it be stable enough after two, three or four weeks? It’ll all get agreed with the surgeon who’s done the operation.”

Gloucester provide three members of the squad. Charlie Atkinson is rewarded for an excellent season at fly-half and will compete for game time with George Ford and Marcus Smith — a three-way battle that gives Borthwick enviable depth at number ten. Afolabi Fasogbon, the 21-year-old tighthead who has been a regular for England A, provides much-needed front-row depth, while full-back Ben Redshaw, who co-captained England Under-20s at last summer’s age-grade world championship, is another to have caught the selectors’ eye. Redshaw scored a hat-trick on Saturday as Gloucester stormed to a 54-21 victory over his former club Newcastle.

Bristol centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg is an intriguing inclusion. The South Africa-born midfielder does not become eligible for England in capped internationals until after the Springboks fixture, but is understood to be available for the uncapped meeting against France in Vannes. A midfield partnership with Seb Atkinson would be a fascinating experiment.

Elsewhere, Nathan Jibulu covers for the injured Cowan-Dickie at hooker alongside Theo Dan and Jamie George, while Harlequins flanker Jack Kenningham and back-rower Alex Dombrandt add further competition in the pack. Chandler Cunningham-South, who came off the bench in England’s final two Six Nations matches, is absent with a calf problem. At scrum-half, Raffi Quirke — who is bound for Newcastle next season — and Bristol’s Harry Randall are preferred to Saracens’ Charlie Bracken.

Senior figures such as George, Ben Earl and Tom Curry provide the necessary experience and leadership in what is otherwise a youthful squad tilted towards opportunity. Borthwick will have access to the full player pool once the Premiership concludes, with 23 of the 42 players who attended last month’s camp affiliated to the four semi-finalists. That number includes Alex Mitchell, the Northampton scrum-half who suffered a hamstring injury during the previous gathering at Pennyhill Park.

The full squad will not be confirmed until 22 June, by which point Borthwick will have a clearer picture of the injury landscape and can make definitive decisions on Itoje and others. For now, this camp is about building depth and giving fringe players a chance to stake their claim ahead of what promises to be a demanding summer programme.

England training squad:

Forwards: Arthur Clark (Gloucester), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), Jamie George (Saracens), Will Hobson (Harlequins), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Nathan Jibulu (Sale Sharks), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Hugh Tizard (Saracens).

Backs: Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester), Noah Caluori (Saracens), Tobias Elliott (Saracens), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Ben Redshaw (Gloucester), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Marcus Smith (Harlequins).

Rehabilitation: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears).

Match details: England XV v France XV, Stade de la Rabine, Vannes. Friday 19 June. Live on ITV Sport.

Nations Championship fixtures: South Africa (a) 4 July, Fiji (a) 11 July, Argentina (a) 18 July. All live on ITV Sport.

Eddie Jones has been suspended as Japan head coach for six weeks and banned from four matches after the Japan Rugby Football Union found him guilty of verbally abusing match officials during an under-23 tour of Australia.

The JRFU announced the disciplinary action on Wednesday, confirming that Jones had breached the union’s ethics and disciplinary regulations during Japan’s U23 tour of Australia, which took place from 1–15 April. The 66-year-old has also had his salary reduced.

Jones will be barred from attending or taking any part in four matches: Japan Select v Hong Kong China Select on 22 May, Japan Select v Hong Kong China Select on 29 May, Japan XV v Māori All Blacks on 27 June, and Japan’s Nations Championship opener against Italy in Tokyo on 4 July.

His suspension from duties runs from 24 April to 5 June, meaning he will be eligible to return to the coaching setup ahead of the Italy fixture but will still be unable to attend the match itself as part of the four-game ban.

Jones accepted the sanctions and issued an apology through the JRFU.

“I accept the disciplinary action of the JRFU relating to the U23 Japan National Team tour of Australia,” Jones said. “Some inappropriate remarks that I made caused discomfort to local match officials and other related parties. I would like to offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved. I deeply regret my behaviour and words and will make every effort to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

The JRFU did not specify which match or matches during the tour prompted the disciplinary proceedings. Japan’s U23 side returned from Australia with three wins from four, beating Fiji U20, Stockman Rugby and Jones’s former club Randwick before losing to Australia U20 in Coffs Harbour.

Jones will be free to return to the sideline for Japan’s Nations Championship clash with Ireland on 11 July in Newcastle, Australia — a fixture that has already generated controversy after Jones claimed on the Rugby Unity podcast that Ireland had refused to travel to Tokyo, forcing Japan to host the match on Australian soil. He will also be in charge for Japan’s home fixture against France in Tokyo on 18 July.

The suspension is the latest turbulent chapter in a coaching career that has lurched between extraordinary highs and controversy. Jones led Japan to their famous victory over South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and took England to the 2019 final before being sacked in December 2022. He then endured a disastrous 10-month spell in charge of the Wallabies that ended with a pool-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup — the first in Australian rugby history — before walking out to return to Japan in January 2024.

It is not the first time Jones has been involved in flashpoints on Australian soil. After a series-clinching win over Australia in Sydney in 2022 while coaching England, he was twice involved in angry exchanges with fans who called him a “traitor.”

The ban means Japan will be without their head coach for a critical stretch of preparation ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship, a period that includes warm-up fixtures against Hong Kong and the Māori All Blacks that would ordinarily serve as key building blocks for the tournament proper.

The JRFU press release confirming the disciplinary action was issued on 13 May 2026.