5 Players to watch this Nations Championship Southern Series

ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 07: The Scotland players during the national anthem during a Guinness Six Nations match between Italy and Scotland at the Stadio Olimpico, on February 07, 2026, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The launch of the new biennial Nations Championship redefines the summer test window, connecting July’s away fixtures directly to November’s home series in a single competitive table. Head Coach, Gregor Townsend has named a 36-player squad for the Southern Series, which features away Tests against Argentina in Córdoba (Saturday 4 July) and South Africa in Pretoria (Saturday 11 July), before concluding against Fiji at Scottish Gas Murrayfield (Saturday 18 July). View the whole squad announcement here.

The points accumulated during these three rounds will dictate Scotland’s standing before it hosts New Zealand, Australia, and Japan in November’s Northern Series, all building toward the grand final weekend in London. Here are five squad members to watch as Scotland embarks on three games across three continents this July.

Gregor Hiddleston (Glasgow Warriors)

Position: Hooker
Scotland Caps: Uncapped
Key club stat: Finished the 2025/26 BKT URC regular season as Glasgow’s joint-top try scorer with 7 tries.

Gregor Hiddleston is one of two uncapped players selected in Gregor Townsend’s 36-man squad alongside club teammate Seb Stephen. Hiddleston enjoyed a breakthrough domestic season under Franco Smith, featuring prominently in a hooker rotation that helped Glasgow secure the BKT URC Scottish-Italian Shield. He proved an attacking threat, finishing the league season tied with Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie as Glasgow’s top try scorer with 7. Across his senior club career, he has made 49 appearances, contributing 13 tries and 65 points overall.

[PICTURED] Warriors’ Gregor Hiddleston in action during an Investec Champions Cup Round of 16 match between Glasgow Warriors and Vodacom Bulls at Scotstoun.

Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby)

Position: Flanker
Scotland Caps: 2
Key club stat: Awarded the 2026 Sir Willie Purves Quaich for Young Scotland Male Player of the Year.

At 21 years old, Freddy Douglas has established himself as a breakdown specialist. He achieved the rare feat of earning a senior international cap before making his competitive club debut for Edinburgh, currently standing as the youngest Scotland men’s player to be capped since 1963. Douglas’ breakdown efficiency was on display in European competition this season, where he recorded 13 Champions Cup turnovers, placing him second in the tournament overall behind only Toulouse’s Jack Willis (15). Having won his second cap during the 2026 Guinness Men’s Six Nations against France, Douglas faces the prospect of earning his first away Test cap if selected this summer.

[PICTURED] Scotland’s Freddy Douglas in action during a Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and France at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby)

Position: Prop
Scotland Caps: 49
Key milestone: Sits one appearance away from earning his 50th international cap for Scotland.

Pierre Schoeman arrives in the national camp on the verge of a career milestone. The Edinburgh loosehead prop has registered 49 appearances since his international debut in 2022, meaning Schoeman has the opportunity against either Argentina, South Africa, or Fiji to secure his 50th cap. Schoeman remains the cornerstone of the Edinburgh front row and joins a prop contingent for this tour that features Glasgow Warriors’ Zander Fagerson, Nathan McBeth, and Rory Sutherland, alongside Edinburgh clubmate D’arcy Rae and English Premiership options Will Hurd and Elliot Millar Mills.

[PICTURED] Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman celebrates his try during a Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and France at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.

Seb Stephen (Glasgow Warriors)

Position: Hooker
Scotland Caps: Uncapped
Key club milestone: Signed his first professional contract with Glasgow Warriors in April 2026 following graduation from the academy.

Seb Stephen joins Gregor Hiddleston as the second uncapped player named in Gregor Townsend’s squad for the Southern Series. A product of the Garioch RFC youth system in Aberdeen, Stephen’s pathway to the senior squad included representation for Scotland at U18 and U20 levels, as well as gaining valuable experience while playing for the University of Waikato in New Zealand. After debuting for the Glasgow Warriors senior side in May 2025, Stephen has steadily progressed through the professional academy structure and his inclusion in this summer’s Scotland squad marks a continued development in the international setup.

[PICTURED] Seb Stephen during a Scotland Rugby training session at the Oriam, on February 02, 2026.

Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby)

Position: Back Row
Scotland Caps: 1
Key experience: Captained the Scotland U20 squad to the World Rugby U20 Trophy title in 2024.

A product of the Boroughmuir youth system, Liam McConnell represents the next generation of back row forwards coming through the Scottish national pathway. The 21-year-old has transitioned into senior professional rugby with Edinburgh Rugby following an age-grade career where he led the U20 national side to silverware and captained the Emerging Scotland team against Italy U23. McConnell, who currently holds 1 senior cap, has been called up to play for the Barbarians in fixtures against South Africa and Wales this June to gain additional high-level game time before officially joining up with the Scotland squad for the Southern Series.

[PICTURED] Edinburgh’s Liam McConnell in action during a BKT United Rugby Championship match between Edinburgh and Zebre at the Hive Stadium.

While these five players represent developmental benchmarks and career milestones, the remaining members of Gregor Townsend’s squad all find themselves with an opportunity as we head towards this new format. The introduction of the Nations Championship removes the exhibition status of summer tours, ensuring that every tackle and try counts towards the global table.

The third and final game of the Southern Series will see Fiji host Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday 18 July.

Tickets available here