Townsend names 4 uncapped reps
SCOTLAND have named uncapped South African-born flanker Dylan Richardson in a 36-man training squad ahead of their Autumn International series that starts this month, one of four new faces selected by coach Gregor Townsend.
Richardson, 22, plays for the Durban-based Sharks and qualifies for Scotland through his father, who was born in Edinburgh, and will hope to impress enough to make the final cut at the camp next week.
He is joined by fellow South African prop Pierre Schoeman, England-born lock Marshall Sykes and Australian-born flyhalf Charlie Savala among the uncapped players in the squad.
Scotland will face Tonga on October
30, before fixtures against Australia, South Africa and Japan on successive weekends.
“With four tough test matches ahead of us in this year’s Autumn International series it is important we bring players together early, connect with them as coaches and enable them to grow as a group,” Townsend said in a media release.
Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive), Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Rugby Club), Andrea Lovotti (Zebre Rugby Club), Ivan Nemer (Benetton Rugby), Matteo Nocera (Fiamme Oro Rugby), Marco Riccioni (Saracens), Luca Bigi (Zebre Rugby Club), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton Rugby), Federico Zani (Benetton Rugby), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Marco Fuser (Newcastle Falcons), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), David Sisi (Zebre Rugby Club), Renato Giammarioli (Zebre Rugby Club), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby), Giovanni Licata (Zebre Rugby Club), Maxime Mbanda (Zebre Rugby Club), Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby), Abraham Steyn (Benetton Rugby)
Backs: Callum Braley (Benetton Rugby) Alessandro Fusco (Fiamme Oro Rugby), Stephen Varney (Gloucester Rugby), Carlo Canna (Zebre Rugby Club) Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier), Tommaso Boni (Zebre Rugby Club), Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby), Michele Campagnaro (Colomiers), Luca Morisi (Benetton Rugby), Marco Zanon (Benetton Rugby), Mattia Bellini (Zebre Rugby Club), Pierre Bruno (Zebre Rugby Club), Montanna Ioane (Benetton Rugby), Matteo Minozzi (Wasps Rugby), Federico Mori (Bordeaux)