Nine Named In Scotland Squad

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has selected nine Edinburgh Rugby players in the 36-man national squad for the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship.Robinson has selected six uncapped players in the squad including 23-year-old Edinburgh Rugby wing Lee Jones for the opening two matches against England (at Murrayfield) and Wales at the Millennium Stadium._The remaining five uncapped selection are Glasgow Warriors trio Stuart Hogg (full-back), Duncan Weir (stand-off) and Robert Harley (flanker/lock), Sale Sharks former Edinburgh and Dunfermline flanker/lock, 23-year-old Fraser McKenzie; and 20-year-old London Irish centre Steven Shingler.All 28 available players from last year’s Rugby World Cup squad are included Chris Paterson and Nathan Hines have now retired while potential RBS 6 Nations debuts could lie ahead for the Edinburgh duo, Greig Laidlaw and David Denton, both of whom were capped in the Autumn/August Test windows.Edinburgh Rugby’s contribution to the national team is completed by front-row trio Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Geoff Cross, centre Nick De Luca, back-row Ross Rennie and scrum-half Mike Blair.Jones, a product of Selkirk has graduated from both Scotland 7s and Scotland A team and has scored six tries in 28 appearances for Edinburgh since making his debut in a pre-season friendly against London Irish in 2010.Robinson said: I am pleased to reflect on the winning displays we have seen from both Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors over the last two months and the contribution a number of our uncapped players have made to them.I think what’s also encouraging is that a number of players who have forced their way into contention in that period and who have not made the squad this time, are really knocking on the door and that competition for places can only raise our standards, so this Scotland squad can be very much a work in progress over the coming months.We said after the Rugby World Cup that the challenge the Scotland squad must confront is to get on with the business of winning international rugby matches._ Potential counts for nothing if you don’t deliver results.The squad will gather at St Andrews on the week beginning Monday 23 January before it is trimmed for match specific preparations for Scotland’s opening game of the championship against England at Murrayfield on Saturday 4 February.Tickets for the England match are sold-out, however you can still buy tickets for the Scotland v France game at Murrayfield on Sunday 26 February, kick-off 3pm.>> Click here to buy tickets for Scotland v FranceScotland squad (sponsor RBS) for the matches against England (4 February) and Wales (12 February) in the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship:Backs: Joe Ansbro (London Irish), Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Max Evans (Castres), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson (both Glasgow Warriors), Lee Jones, Greig Laidlaw (both Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues), Steven Shingler (London Irish) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)_Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks), Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), Richie Gray, Dougie Hall (both Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh Rugby), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Fraser McKenzie (Sale Sharks), Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) and Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks).