Skinner recalled to Scotland squad

By Mark Stevens
8/3/21

Sam Skinner is one of three new faces brought into Scotland's squad ahead of this Sunday's Guinness Six Nations Championship encounter with Ireland at BT Murrayfield.

The Exeter Chiefs lock, who scored two tries in his side's 38-16 win over Bath at the weekend, has been called into a 34-man group which also includes club-mates Jonny Gray and skipper Stuart Hogg.

Skinner featured in Scotland’s Autumn internationals, but has not played any part in this year’s Six Nations campaign. He has been added to the squad alongside Nick Haining and Rufus McClean, one of 10 Glasgow Warriors players in the squad, who is called up for the first time.

Scotland recored a surprise win against England on the opening weekend of the Six Nations before a narrow home defeat to Wales. Their round three fixture against France was postponed due to an outbreak of Covid-19 in the French camp and is now set to be played on March 26.

Elsewhere in the squad, Richie Gray - brother of Exeter's Jonny - misses out having sat out Glasgow’s win against Zebre on Saturday due to a head injury. Blade Thomson and Gary Graham also drop out.