Scotland name World Cup long-list

Scotland’s second match of the Rugby World Cup is to be against the USA Eagles. The fixture will take place at Elland Road in Leeds on Sunday September 27. Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has named a 46 man training squad to prepare for the Rugby World Cup. The Northern Europeans are in Pool B a group also containing Japan, Samoa, South Africa and the USA.

The squad draws upon players contracted to clubs in the Guinness Pro 12, Aviva Premiership and Top 14 with the Pro 12 championship winning Glasgow Warriors accounting for a staggering 24 squad members. Also among the selected are a number of veterans – John Barclay, Chris Cusiter, Alaisdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Jim Hamilton and Sean Lamont are to play in a third Rugby World Cup.

There are also places for eight uncapped players – Allan Dell, Damien Hoyland, W.P. Nel, Stuart McInally, Hugh Blake, Mike Cusack, Rory Hughes and Josh Strauss.

FORWARDS
Mike Cusack (Glasgow), Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Ryan Grant (Glasgow), W.P. Nel (Edinburgh), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Glasgow), Fraser Brown (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Rob Harley (Glasgow), Tim Swinson (Glasgow), Adam Ashe (Glasgow), John Barclay (Scarlets), Hugh Blake (Glasgow), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh), Josh Strauss (Glasgow), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh).

BACKS
Chris Cusiter (Sale), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow), Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Duncan Weir (Glasgow), Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow), Peter Horne (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Richie Vernon (Glasgow), Stuart Hogg (Glasgow), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh), Rory Hughes (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Glasgow), Sean Maitland (Glasgow), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh), Tim Visser (Edinburgh).