Gregor Townsend hails 'very good attacker' Ben Healy

Munster's Ben Healy, who will join Edinburgh in the summer, is Scottish qualified through his mother and will provide competition for Finn Russell at number 10

NAMED: Munster's Ben Healy has been named in the Scotland squad for the Six Nations. Pic: INPHO/Evan Treacy

Munster's Ben Healy has been named in Gregor Townsend's Scotland squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

Healy, who will join Edinburgh in the summer, is Scottish qualified through his mother and will provide competition for Finn Russell at number 10.

“Just really over the last two or three weeks, Ben played very well off the bench against Ulster and then the following week he started against the Lions and I was impressed with him that night,” Townsend said of Healy.

“He’s a different player to the 10s that we’ve had in the squad, but he’s a very good attacker, both in terms of the system, his own individual strengths and a very good kicking game.

“To have someone who we can call on of Ben’s ability, when we’ve lost Adam Hastings and Ross Thompson to injuries is a real positive.”

Healy is one of four uncapped players named in the 40-man squad as Scotland have once again taken advantage of world rugby's recent change in eligibility rules to include English cap Ruaridh McConnochie.

In a similar move to the one that allowed Jack Dempsey to convert from Australia to Scotland earlier this season, Townsend has persuaded the 31-year-old Bath wing to pledge his allegiance to the nation of his father's birth three and a half years after making two appearances - including one at the 2019 World Cup - for England.

Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall and Leicester second-row Cameron Henderson are the other two included who are yet to feature for the national team.

Darcy Graham, who scored a hat-trick of tries in Scotland's last match against Argentina in November, has not been included as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. It remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to be called in during the tournament.

Hamish Watson and Zander Fagerson are included despite being sidelined by injury in recent months, but Scott Cummings, Rory Darge and Adam Hastings - who have also been battling fitness issues - have not made the squad.

Experienced pair Sean Maitland and Huw Jones have both earned recalls to the national team set-up.

Scotland squad 

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Sale), Josh Bayliss (Bath), Simon Berghan, Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown (all Glasgow), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh), Andy Christie (Saracens), Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh), Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson (all Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Exeter), Richie Gray (Glasgow), Cameron Henderson (Leicester), WP Nel, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman (all Edinburgh), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh), Rory Sutherland (Ulster), George Turner (Glasgow), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh). 

Backs: Chris Harris (Gloucester), Ben Healy (Munster), Stuart Hogg (Exeter), George Horne, Huw Jones (both Glasgow), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath) Stafford McDowell, Ali Price (both Glasgow), Cameron Redpath (Bath), Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ollie Smith, Kyle Steyn, Sione Tuipulotu (all Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh), Ben White (London Irish).