Townsend adds five players to Scotland squad for Italy clash

Gregor Townsend has added five players to his Scotland squad ahead of Saturday’s final Six Nations match away to Italy.

Scotland lie fifth after four matches, but they still have the opportunity to climb to third with a victory and Townsend has again shuffled his personnel ahead of the trip to Rome.

Glasgow Warriors quartet Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Adam Hastings and Richie Vernon are in the squad for the first time this year, while Matt Scott is recalled.

Vernon has recently returned after missing almost a year of action with an Achilles injury and has not played for Scotland since the World Cup in 2015.

Townsend had brought 10 new faces into an initial group to prepare for the match against Ireland after beating England in week three, but Scotland fell to a 28-8 defeat in Dublin.

BREAKING | Revised Scotland squad announced. Glasgow Warriors quartet Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Adam Hastings & Richie Vernon earn their first call-up of 2018, alongside Gloucester’s Matt Scott.

?? https://t.co/1QY3F1hyzN pic.twitter.com/dCfxMmLdtX

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) March 12, 2018

Scotland squad:

Forwards: John Barclay, Simon Berghan, Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Scott Cummings, David Denton, Zander Fagerson, Matt Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Richie Gray, Luke Hamilton, Scott Lawson, Darryl Marfo, Stuart McInally, Willem Nel, Gordon Reid, Tim Swinson, Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson.

Backs: Nick Grigg, Chris Harris, Adam Hastings, Stuart Hogg, George Horne, Pete Horne, Ruaridh Jackson, Huw Jones, Lee Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Greig Laidlaw, Sean Maitland, Byron McGuigan, Ali Price, Finn Russell, Matt Scott, Tommy Seymour, Richie Vernon.