Scotland Names Rugby Squad With Turner Return For South Pacific Tour

Scotland's rugby squad for the summer tour to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands has been announced, featuring 36 players including three uncapped players: prop Fin Richardson, fly-half Fergus Burke, and back-row Alexander Masibaka. George Turner returns to the national team after a year playing in Japan and ahead of joining Harlequins, while Rory Darge is named captain. The squad excludes seven players involved with the British & Irish Lions, but includes key returning players like Andy Onyeama-Christie and Matt Fagerson despite recent injuries. Head coach Gregor Townsend emphasized the importance of these matches against the Māori All Blacks, Fiji, and Samoa for World Cup ranking points and seeding. The team aims to balance development with competitiveness, ensuring all squad members will get game time across the three fixtures. Townsend highlighted the physical challenges ahead and the necessity of a strong squad to maintain and improve Scotland's standing in world rugby rankings.