Rookie Kerr earns Scots call-up
LEICESTER youngster Jake Kerr, who is featuring in only his second season of professional rugby, has been called up to Scotland’s Six Nations squad.
Kerr, 22, is one of three uncapped hookers picked behind Stuart McInally following the loss of Fraser Brown and George Turner to injury.
“We are involving players that are playing well for their clubs and it will be exciting to work with them,” said Scotland coach Gregor Townsend.
“Every team will have injury challenges but every team will be going into the tournament believing they can win. I don’t believe there has ever been a championship where the number two, three and four teams in the world are Ireland, Wales and England, so it shows the quality of opposition we will be facing.
“But we believe in our squad. We’ve seen how they’ve taken on the best in the world over the past few years and on some of those occasions we had a lot of injuries.”
Scotland will also be without John Barclay, Richie Gray, brothers Matt and Zander Fagerson, Byron McGuigan and David Denton through injury. There are seven English-based players in the 39-man squad including Newcastle trio Chris Harris, Gary Graham and John Hardie, who is recalled.
Hardie, 30, won the last of his 16 caps against Fiji in 2017 before serving a three-month ban for gross misconduct over alleged cocaine use.
He was an unused member of the squad for the final two matches of last season’s Six Nations.
Scotland kick off against Italy at Murrayfield on February 2.