Latest news with #GeorgeTurner
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
South Pacific tour ‘crucial' to Scotland seeding for World Cup
In their final game, Scotland take on Samoa in Auckland, New Zealand at the historic Eden Park on July 18. Head coach Townsend, who named Rory Darge as captain with George Turner returning to the fold after missing the last year of international rugby following his move to Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, said: 'We know that playing Test matches for Scotland and winning Test matches for Scotland is really important, so we have to pick a strong squad to take on the likes of Fiji and Samoa. 'It's an even more important issue with the world-ranking points. The World Cup draw gets made after November, so these games are crucial to make sure we've got the best chance of being in that top six and getting a better seeding. 'There's always, maybe one or two players that we decided not to select not because of form, but because we think it's not right for them to go into tour at this time. 'But other than that, it's as strong as a squad as we could select, and the benefit of having that third game of the game against Maori All Blacks will mean that we will everybody in tour will get game time, and players that maybe haven't played as much for us in the past are going to get game time on the tour and game time for Scotland.' Head Coach Gregor Townsend discusses his selections for the @Skyscanner Pacific Tour. Watch the video here ➡️ — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 10, 2025 There are three uncapped players named by head coach Gregor Townsend – stand-off Fergus Burke, back-row Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson – although all three have been involved with the squad before. In the back row, Matt Fagerson has been included despite missing the end of season with Glasgow through injury but there is no place for Jack Dempsey, who had been sidelined since the Six Nations win over Wales in March. Forwards Andy Onyeama-Christie and Max Williamson are back in after injury. Townsend said he was pleased to be able to recall Turner, who has signed for Harlequins for next season. He said: 'I think when George went to Japan, we never knew whether that would be extended and he was there until the end of his career, which would make it very difficult for him to be considered for us, given the Japan season is played during the Six Nations. George Turner is back in the Scotland squad (Brian Lawless/PA) 'So it was very good news that he got a club back in the UK and he was really keen to be back involved with us.' Townsend believes some of the Scotland players who narrowly missed out on selection for the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia may yet get their chance. He said: 'I don't want to say we hope that to happen because that means someone's been injured on the tour, but if someone does get injured, then we would like to feel that our players in a strong position. Some would have been very close to selection anyway. 'If they're playing in New Zealand or in Fiji and playing well, then that gives them an even bigger opportunity to potentially join the Lions tour. 'We've seen the weekend, unfortunately for us was Zander (Fagerson) being injured, but there will be injuries on the way to Australia and during the tour in Australia. Rory Darge has been named Scotland captain for the summer tour (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'But the good thing for our players and those that maybe were closer to selection is they were so keen to come out and tour. They've had long seasons, but some of these players are in great form. I look at the weekend and seeing lots of Rory Darge and Tom Jordan still playing some of their best rugby at this time of the season. 'So that's great for us as we go to tour, but it should be also good for chances of getting on the Lions tour.' Scotland Under-20 men's assistant coach Fergus Pringle has been appointed as forwards coach for the tour, deputising for John Dalziel, who will be with the Lions.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
South Pacific tour ‘crucial' to Scotland seeding for World Cup
The Scots kick off with a match against the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei, New Zealand on July 5 before they take on Fiji a week later, with the match marking Scotland's first game on Fijian soil since 2017. In their final game, Scotland take on Samoa in Auckland, New Zealand at the historic Eden Park on July 18. Head coach Townsend, who named Rory Darge as captain with George Turner returning to the fold after missing the last year of international rugby following his move to Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, said: 'We know that playing Test matches for Scotland and winning Test matches for Scotland is really important, so we have to pick a strong squad to take on the likes of Fiji and Samoa. 'It's an even more important issue with the world-ranking points. The World Cup draw gets made after November, so these games are crucial to make sure we've got the best chance of being in that top six and getting a better seeding. 'There's always, maybe one or two players that we decided not to select not because of form, but because we think it's not right for them to go into tour at this time. 'But other than that, it's as strong as a squad as we could select, and the benefit of having that third game of the game against Maori All Blacks will mean that we will everybody in tour will get game time, and players that maybe haven't played as much for us in the past are going to get game time on the tour and game time for Scotland.' Head Coach Gregor Townsend discusses his selections for the @Skyscanner Pacific Tour. Watch the video here ➡️ — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 10, 2025 There are three uncapped players named by head coach Gregor Townsend – stand-off Fergus Burke, back-row Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson – although all three have been involved with the squad before. In the back row, Matt Fagerson has been included despite missing the end of season with Glasgow through injury but there is no place for Jack Dempsey, who had been sidelined since the Six Nations win over Wales in March. Forwards Andy Onyeama-Christie and Max Williamson are back in after injury. Townsend said he was pleased to be able to recall Turner, who has signed for Harlequins for next season. He said: 'I think when George went to Japan, we never knew whether that would be extended and he was there until the end of his career, which would make it very difficult for him to be considered for us, given the Japan season is played during the Six Nations. George Turner is back in the Scotland squad (Brian Lawless/PA) 'So it was very good news that he got a club back in the UK and he was really keen to be back involved with us.' Townsend believes some of the Scotland players who narrowly missed out on selection for the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia may yet get their chance. He said: 'I don't want to say we hope that to happen because that means someone's been injured on the tour, but if someone does get injured, then we would like to feel that our players in a strong position. Some would have been very close to selection anyway. 'If they're playing in New Zealand or in Fiji and playing well, then that gives them an even bigger opportunity to potentially join the Lions tour. 'We've seen the weekend, unfortunately for us was Zander (Fagerson) being injured, but there will be injuries on the way to Australia and during the tour in Australia. Rory Darge has been named Scotland captain for the summer tour (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'But the good thing for our players and those that maybe were closer to selection is they were so keen to come out and tour. They've had long seasons, but some of these players are in great form. I look at the weekend and seeing lots of Rory Darge and Tom Jordan still playing some of their best rugby at this time of the season. 'So that's great for us as we go to tour, but it should be also good for chances of getting on the Lions tour.' Scotland Under-20 men's assistant coach Fergus Pringle has been appointed as forwards coach for the tour, deputising for John Dalziel, who will be with the Lions.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scotland summer rugby tour squad named as 45-cap forward returns from exile
Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... George Turner has been recalled by Scotland for the summer tour to New Zealand and Fiji. The 45-times capped hooker has not played for the national side since leaving Glasgow Warriors to move to Japan to play for Kobelco Kobe Steelers at the end of the 2023-24 season. He was unavailable for Scotland duties due to the Japan Rugby League One schedule clashing with the Six Nations but has now agreed a deal to join Harlequins for next season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Turner, 32, is joined in the 36-man squad by three uncapped players: stand-off Fergus Burke, back-rower Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson. Burke, the Saracens 10, and Masibaka, who plays in the French second tier for Soyaux Angoulême, were both involved in Six Nations squads this year but did not get any game-time. George Turner has not played for Scotland since the 2024 Guinness Six Nations. | SNS Group Richardson, meanwhile, has forced his way into the reckoning at Glasgow Warriors. The tighthead prop started Saturday's URC semi-final against Leinster in Dublin and has played nine times for the club since moving from Exeter Chiefs last summer. The squad, which will be captained by Rory Darge, is far less experimental than that which toured the Americas last summer. On that occasion, head coach Gregor Townsend capped 11 new players. There is an experienced core despite the absence of the Scotland players called up for the British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has appointed Rory Darge as his tour captain. | SNS Group Andy Onyeama-Christie of Saracens makes a welcome return after recovering from injury and Matt Fagerson is also included despite missing the end of the season due to an ankle issue. Others returning after missing the Six Nations include Kyle Steyn, Adam Hastings, Cameron Redpath, Harry Paterson, Cameron Henderson and Max Williamson. But there is no place for Dave Cherry, Scotland's starting hooker in all five Six Nations games. The national side will leave for the southern hemisphere later this month to play three matches in July. The tour kicks off against the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei on Saturday, July 5. Scotland will then head to Suva to play Fiji on Saturday, July 12 at the HFC Bank Stadium. The tour will finish back in New Zealand where Scotland will take on Samoa at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, July 18. Townsend has called in Fergus Pringle to his coaching group for the tour. Pringle, the Scotland Under-20 assistant coach, will serve as forwards coach for the national team, deputising for John Dalziel who will be with the British & Irish Lions this summer. South-African born Pringle joined Hawick in 2003 before playing for Edinburgh Rugby as a second-row from 2004-08. He had stints as head coach at Boroughmuir and as assistant coach at Currie Chieftains before moving to Watsonians as head coach and leading them to the FOSROC Super Series championship in 2022. He has been with Scotland U20 since 2022. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fergus Pringle said: 'I'm really grateful for the opportunity. I have big shoes to fill, in place of JD (John Dalziel), but it's a massive honour and something I'm really looking forward to.' Scotland Skyscanner Pacific Tour Squad Backs (15): Fergus Burke – Saracens (uncapped), Matt Currie - Edinburgh Rugby (4 caps), Jamie Dobie - Glasgow Warriors (12), Darcy Graham - Edinburgh Rugby (46), Adam Hastings - Glasgow Warriors (32), George Horne - Glasgow Warriors (36), Tom Jordan - Glasgow Warriors (8), Cameron Redpath – Bath Rugby (14), Stafford McDowall – Glasgow Warriors (13), Harry Paterson – Edinburgh Rugby (3), Arron Reed - Sale Sharks (3), Kyle Rowe - Glasgow Warriors (12), Ollie Smith - Glasgow Warriors (9), Kyle Steyn – Glasgow Warriors (23), Ben White – Toulon (29.
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
South Pacific tour ‘crucial' to Scotland seeding for World Cup
The Scots kick off with a match against the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei, New Zealand on July 5 before they take on Fiji a week later, with the match marking Scotland's first game on Fijian soil since 2017. In their final game, Scotland take on Samoa in Auckland, New Zealand at the historic Eden Park on July 18. Head coach Townsend, who named Rory Darge as captain with George Turner returning to the fold after missing the last year of international rugby following his move to Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, said: 'We know that playing Test matches for Scotland and winning Test matches for Scotland is really important, so we have to pick a strong squad to take on the likes of Fiji and Samoa. 'It's an even more important issue with the world-ranking points. The World Cup draw gets made after November, so these games are crucial to make sure we've got the best chance of being in that top six and getting a better seeding. 'There's always, maybe one or two players that we decided not to select not because of form, but because we think it's not right for them to go into tour at this time. 'But other than that, it's as strong as a squad as we could select, and the benefit of having that third game of the game against Maori All Blacks will mean that we will everybody in tour will get game time, and players that maybe haven't played as much for us in the past are going to get game time on the tour and game time for Scotland.' Head Coach Gregor Townsend discusses his selections for the @Skyscanner Pacific Tour. Watch the video here ➡️ — Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) June 10, 2025 There are three uncapped players named by head coach Gregor Townsend – stand-off Fergus Burke, back-row Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson – although all three have been involved with the squad before. In the back row, Matt Fagerson has been included despite missing the end of season with Glasgow through injury but there is no place for Jack Dempsey, who had been sidelined since the Six Nations win over Wales in March. Forwards Andy Onyeama-Christie and Max Williamson are back in after injury. Townsend said he was pleased to be able to recall Turner, who has signed for Harlequins for next season. He said: 'I think when George went to Japan, we never knew whether that would be extended and he was there until the end of his career, which would make it very difficult for him to be considered for us, given the Japan season is played during the Six Nations. George Turner is back in the Scotland squad (Brian Lawless/PA) 'So it was very good news that he got a club back in the UK and he was really keen to be back involved with us.' Townsend believes some of the Scotland players who narrowly missed out on selection for the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia may yet get their chance. He said: 'I don't want to say we hope that to happen because that means someone's been injured on the tour, but if someone does get injured, then we would like to feel that our players in a strong position. Some would have been very close to selection anyway. 'If they're playing in New Zealand or in Fiji and playing well, then that gives them an even bigger opportunity to potentially join the Lions tour. 'We've seen the weekend, unfortunately for us was Zander (Fagerson) being injured, but there will be injuries on the way to Australia and during the tour in Australia. Rory Darge has been named Scotland captain for the summer tour (Andrew Milligan/PA) 'But the good thing for our players and those that maybe were closer to selection is they were so keen to come out and tour. They've had long seasons, but some of these players are in great form. I look at the weekend and seeing lots of Rory Darge and Tom Jordan still playing some of their best rugby at this time of the season. 'So that's great for us as we go to tour, but it should be also good for chances of getting on the Lions tour.' Scotland Under-20 men's assistant coach Fergus Pringle has been appointed as forwards coach for the tour, deputising for John Dalziel, who will be with the Lions.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
South Pacific tour ‘crucial' to Scotland seeding for World Cup
Gregor Townsend stressed the importance of Scotland's summer tour of the South Pacific after naming his 36-man squad for the three fixtures. The Scots kick off with a match against the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei, New Zealand on July 5 before they take on Fiji a week later, with the match marking Scotland's first game on Fijian soil since 2017. In their final game, Scotland take on Samoa in Auckland, New Zealand at the historic Eden Park on July 18. Head coach Townsend, who named Rory Darge as captain with George Turner returning to the fold after missing the last year of international rugby following his move to Kobelco Kobe Steelers in Japan, said: 'We know that playing Test matches for Scotland and winning Test matches for Scotland is really important, so we have to pick a strong squad to take on the likes of Fiji and Samoa. 'It's an even more important issue with the world-ranking points. The World Cup draw gets made after November, so these games are crucial to make sure we've got the best chance of being in that top six and getting a better seeding. 'There's always, maybe one or two players that we decided not to select not because of form, but because we think it's not right for them to go into tour at this time. 'But other than that, it's as strong as a squad as we could select, and the benefit of having that third game of the game against Maori All Blacks will mean that we will everybody in tour will get game time, and players that maybe haven't played as much for us in the past are going to get game time on the tour and game time for Scotland.' There are three uncapped players named by head coach Gregor Townsend – stand-off Fergus Burke, back-row Alexander Masibaka and tighthead prop Fin Richardson – although all three have been involved with the squad before. In the back row, Matt Fagerson has been included despite missing the end of season with Glasgow through injury but there is no place for Jack Dempsey, who had been sidelined since the Six Nations win over Wales in March. Forwards Andy Onyeama-Christie and Max Williamson are back in after injury. Townsend said he was pleased to be able to recall Turner, who has signed for Harlequins for next season. He said: 'I think when George went to Japan, we never knew whether that would be extended and he was there until the end of his career, which would make it very difficult for him to be considered for us, given the Japan season is played during the Six Nations. 'So it was very good news that he got a club back in the UK and he was really keen to be back involved with us.' Townsend believes some of the Scotland players who narrowly missed out on selection for the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of Australia may yet get their chance. He said: 'I don't want to say we hope that to happen because that means someone's been injured on the tour, but if someone does get injured, then we would like to feel that our players in a strong position. Some would have been very close to selection anyway. 'If they're playing in New Zealand or in Fiji and playing well, then that gives them an even bigger opportunity to potentially join the Lions tour. 'We've seen the weekend, unfortunately for us was Zander (Fagerson) being injured, but there will be injuries on the way to Australia and during the tour in Australia. 'But the good thing for our players and those that maybe were closer to selection is they were so keen to come out and tour. They've had long seasons, but some of these players are in great form. I look at the weekend and seeing lots of Rory Darge and Tom Jordan still playing some of their best rugby at this time of the season. 'So that's great for us as we go to tour, but it should be also good for chances of getting on the Lions tour.' Scotland Under-20 men's assistant coach Fergus Pringle has been appointed as forwards coach for the tour, deputising for John Dalziel, who will be with the Lions.
