BORDERER Darcy Graham has been ruled out for 'at least' the first two games of the 2024 Six Nations.

The winger, of Hawick, was included in head coach Gregor Townsend's 39-player squad announced last week.

But Scottish Rugby confirmed that the 26-year-old Edinburgh star would miss clashes with Wales and France with a quad injury.

Great Britain 7s player Ross McCann, 26, has been drafted in as cover.

Graham's fellow Borderer Glen Young has made the squad but Rory Sutherland was a notable omission.

Townsend, of Galashiels, named his group last week, with four uncapped players among the selection.

Props Alec Hepburn and Will Hurd, winger Arron Reed and back-three operator Harry Paterson have all earned a first call-up to Scotland duty, ahead of the championship opener against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, February 3.

Loosehead prop Hepburn, of Exeter Chiefs qualifies through his father, who was born in Scotland, likewise Sale Sharks flyer Reed. Leicester Tigers’ tighthead Hurd represented his country at under-20 level while Paterson, who can play both at wing and full-back, also played in the age-grade side and is a Scotland 7s cap.

The rest of Townsend’s squad has much of a familiar look, with Pierre Schoeman, Jamie Bhatti, Zander Fagerson and WP Nel filling the propping positions. At hooker, Ewan Ashman, Johnny Matthews and George Turner are named to complete front row options.

In the second row the experienced Grant Gilchrist and Richie Gray are joined by Scott Cummings, Sam Skinner and Young, who returns to the national squad having last been capped against Argentina in 2022.

Scotland’s forward stable is added to in the form of back row members Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Luke Crosbie, Josh Bayliss and Andy Christie.

In the backs, Reed and Paterson are two of a seven-strong list that includes wingers Duhan van der Merwe, Kyle Steyn and Kyle Rowe, as well as full-back Blair Kinghorn.

Five centres have been selected by way of Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall, Cameron Redpath – whose father Bryan who played for Melrose won 60 caps for Scotland between 1993 and 2003 – and Rory Hutchinson, who returns to the fold for the first time since appearing in two Tests on the tour to Argentina in 2022.

Adam Hastings’ timely return from injury has led to the Gloucester Rugby stand-off joining Finn Russell and Ben Healy in the squad, with scrum-half trio Ben White, Ali Price and George Horne also named.

In all, the squad comprises 15 players from Glasgow Warriors, 13 from Edinburgh Rugby and a further 11 who ply their trade outside Scotland.

After facing Wales in Cardiff, Scotland host France and England at Murrayfield, before rounding off the 2024 Six Nations with trips to Rome, to face Italy, and Dublin where they will meet Ireland.

Darge and Russell have been named co-captains for Scotland ahead of the tournament.