Ollie Leatherbarrow has secured his first senior Scotland call-up, named in a 37-man squad for the home Nations Championship matches under head coach Gregor Townsend.
The Newcastle Falcons back-row forward joins a squad preparing to face three formidable opponents: New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. Leatherbarrow’s selection represents a significant milestone in his rugby career as he prepares to pull on the dark blue jersey for the senior international stage.
Notable Omissions Spark Selection Debate
Townsend’s squad selection has raised eyebrows with the exclusion of in-form Edinburgh forwards Magnus Bradbury and Freddy Douglas from the travelling party. Both players have impressed at club level, yet neither made the cut for the Nations Championship fixtures against the elite southern hemisphere sides and the Japanese.
Squad Composition
The squad features several Glasgow Warriors players alongside Leatherbarrow’s Newcastle representation. Edinburgh’s contributions include other forward selections, with hooker Seb Stephen from Glasgow Warriors also featuring in Townsend’s plans for the upcoming international window. The 37-man squad brings together experienced campaigners and emerging talent as Scotland prepares to challenge some of rugby’s top-ranked nations on home soil.