LONDON – Scottish coach Vern Cotter has named a 46-man training squad to gather over the summer in preparation for the upcoming World Cup which kicks off in London in September with two players not yet eligible for Scottish selection.
Glasgow number 8 Josh Strauss and Edinburgh prop WP Nel are both South African born and will not be eligible to play for Scotland until a week before their first game against Japan on 23 September. With the issue of player eligibility currently a hot topic in the rugby world, Vern Cotter’s decision is likely to fuel heated debate over the issue.
Cotter held firm on his decision when quizzed suggesting that they had as much right to represent Scotland as anyone else.
“Just look at Josh for Glasgow at the weekend. He was outstanding. WP’s children were born in Scotland. When you talk to these players they are very passionate about this being their country. This is where they live now,” Cotter said.
Scotland Rugby World Cup training squad:
Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors), John Barclay (Scarlets), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Hugh Blake (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Mike Cusack (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Cusiter (Sale Sharks), Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby), David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Maitland (London Irish), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby), Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Tim Visser (Harlequins), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors).