Scotland Name World Cup Roster

USA Eagles Pool B rivals, Scotland have named their 31-man player roster for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. Scotland and the USA will be joined by Japan, Samoa and South Africa in arguably the most even of the tournament’s four groups.

Scotland will be tested early on in the World Cup by facing Japan first on Wednesday September 23 and then the USA four days later on Sunday September 27. Players will need to be well managed in order for Scotland to come out on top in these matches. Indeed both Japan and the USA have achieved superior results since Rugby World Cup 2011 than prior.

In search of improvement Scotland hired the services of former Clermont Auvergne coach Vern Cotter. The New Zealander has shown little player loyalty in naming his 31-man roster which sees no place for any of John Barclay, Blair Cowan, Jim Hamilton, Ruaridh Jackson or Greig Tonks. Meanwhile scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw has been named captain despite being under pressure for his position.

Included is Tommy Seymour who qualifies for Scotland due to his mother being from Glasgow. Seymour is North American, born in Tennessee. He is one of five players selected covering the back-three with the others being Stuart Hogg, Sean Lamont, Sean Maitland and Tim Visser. Of them the first two are Scots while Maitland is and Visser arrived in Scotland as adults.

The list of players who qualify based on eligibility is notable even with the exclusion of Cowan. Picked ahead of the back-rower is another New Zealander, John Hardie while Maitland is another kiwi selected. South Africans WP Nel and Josh Strauss have both been selected as has David Denton from Zimbabwe, Seymour from the USA, Tim Visser from Holland, Henry Pyrgos, Tim Swinson andRyan Wilson from England and, lastly, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne was born in Spain.

Scotland’s pool matches will be played in the cities of Gloucester, Leeds and Newcastle. Should Scotland finish in the top two of the Pool the North-east Europeans will qualify for a Quarter Final in London against a team from Pool A. Scotland missed out on a Quarter Final in Rugby World Cup 2011 after losing against both Argentina and England but defeating Romania and Georgia.

FORWARDS
Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Ryan Grant (Glasgow), WP Nel (Edinburgh), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Glasgow), Fraser Brown (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Tim Swinson (Glasgow), David Denton (Edinburgh), Josh Strauss (Glasgow), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow), John Hardie (Highlanders), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan)

BACKS
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Greig Laidlaw (capt., Gloucester), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Duncan Weir (Glasgow), Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Peter Horne (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Richie Vernon (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Glasgow), Sean Maitland (Glasgow), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Tim Visser (Edinburgh), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow)