Head coach Gregor Townsend has added four new faces to his Scotland squad that will prepare for the 2019 Guinness Six Nations.
The quartet of players named include two uncapped back-row forwards in Luke Crosbie from Edinburgh and Matt Smith from Glasgow Warriors as well as the experienced heads of Rob Harley and Alex Dunbar.
Townsend named a 39-man squad for the 2019 Championship last week but the final round of European action has prompted a re-shuffle.
Glasgow Warriors centre Dunbar was left out of the original squad but his 31 caps of experience earn him a stay of execution as fitness problems have forced Townsend’s hand.
Flanker Hamish Watson damaged his hand on club duty against Montpellier on Friday night and drops out of the squad while he begins his recovery.
Meanwhile the uncapped centre Sam Johnson – one of seven potential debutants included by Townsend in his initial squad – will stay in camp to recover from a knock sustained for Glasgow Warriors against Saracens on Saturday.
And the same applies for Jonny Gray and Ryan Wilson as Townsend begins preparations for their Championship opener against Italy at BT Murrayfield on Saturday February 2.
