The Breakdown – The Front Row: Rugby’s Foundation

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Scotland's Zander Fagerson, Dave Cherry and Pierre Schoeman in action during a Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and Italy at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, on February 01, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

If you’ve ever watched rugby and had no clue who the 16 players are that come together in a giant huddle, or why someone is throwing a ball into a line of jumping giants, then this is for you.

This miniseries will breakdown the roles and responsibilities of each positional group in rugby and give you an insight into the men pulling on the Scotland jersey.

What is the Front Row?

In the high-speed world of international rugby, the front row carries the heaviest physical load. This group consists of three players: two props and one hooker. They are the first line of the scrum – the mass formation of each team’s eight biggest players to restart the game after a penalty or knock-on – and they are the foundation of the entire team. Without them, the faster players further back wouldn’t have the ball to play with.

The tactical make-up of the front row is built on a division of labour. On the left, the loosehead prop, wearing number 1, acts as the primary aggressor in the scrum, hitting hard and pressuring the opposition.

In the centre, the Hooker, wearing 2, coordinates the scrummage unit, kicking, or “hooking”, the ball back to their team.  When the ball goes out of bounds, they are the ones who throw it back in at the lineout.

On the right sits the tighthead prop, No. 3, the anchor. The tighthead must absorb the combined force of the opposing pack, standing firm and driving his side forward.

In the modern game, these players aren’t just there for the heavy lifting. They have to be fit enough to run for miles, smart enough to steal the ball, and strong enough to crash through defenders to score tries.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 16: Scotland’s Ewan Ashman in action during a Quilter Nations Series match between Scotland and Argentina at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, on November 16, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

The Scottish Contingent

Scotland enters this Championship with a front-row cohort that blends experience with young talent.

The battle for the hooker jersey is intense. Ewan Ashman, now Scotland Men’s top try-scoring forward is vying for the Number 2 jersey whilst being pressured by the veteran presence of George Turner, who reached the historic 50-cap milestone during the recent Quilter Nations Series in the Autumn. They are joined by Dave Cherry, who returns to the squad after a standout season for Vannes in France, and recent addition Gregor Hiddleston.

The depth across the rest of the front row provides Scotland’s Head Coach, Gregor Townsend, with plenty of difficult matchday decisions. On the loosehead side, fan-favourite Pierre Schoeman is joined by the powerful Rory Sutherland and Nathan McBeth, offering a variety of threats.

On the tighthead side, the vastly experienced British & Irish Lion select, Zander Fagerson, provides the technical anchor, with the Elliot Millar Mills and D’arcy Rae joining the Number 3 contingent.

Scotland will need the entire team of front rows to be on top form for the Guinness Men’s Six Nations as they get set to face the most powerful talent in the Northern Hemisphere.

Stay tuned as we look at the Second Row next on The Breakdown.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 08: Scotland’s Pierre Schoeman in action during a Quilter Nations Series match between Scotland and New Zealand at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, on November 08, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The Scotland Front-Row (caps in brackets):

• Ewan Ashman – Edinburgh Rugby (32)
• Dave Cherry – Vannes (16)
• Zander Fagerson – Glasgow Warriors (76)
• Nathan McBeth – Glasgow Warriors (5)
• Elliot Millar Mills – Northampton Saints (11)
• D’arcy Rae – Edinburgh Rugby (5)
• Pierre Schoeman – Edinburgh Rugby (44)
• Rory Sutherland – Glasgow Warriors (46)
• George Turner – Harlequins (50)
• Gregor Hiddleston – Glasgow Warriors (uncapped)