{"id":19688,"date":"2017-01-18T12:12:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-18T12:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=19688"},"modified":"2017-01-18T12:12:25","modified_gmt":"2017-01-18T12:12:25","slug":"scott-and-taylor-return-to-scotland-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/scott-and-taylor-return-to-scotland-squad.html","title":{"rendered":"Scott and Taylor return to Scotland squad"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scott and Taylor return to Scotland squad<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Scotland head coach Vern Cotter has recalled Gloucester centre Matt Scott to his squad ahead of the Six Nations.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fellow centre Duncan Taylor, of Saracens, is back after missing the autumn Tests through injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

Uncapped Edinburgh forwards Simon Berghan and Cornell du Preez but Bath back row David Denton is not fit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alasdair Dickinson is also absent through injury, while fellow Edinburgh prop WP Nel is listed but is a doubt with a neck problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nel lasted just 27 minutes of his return from a long injury lay-off at the weekend and is awaiting the results of a scan.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year’s championship will be New Zealander Cotter’s last in charge of the national side.<\/span><\/p>\n

He will take over as Montpellier coach this summer and will be replaced by Glasgow Warriors’ Gregor Townsend.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Scots open their Six Nations campaign at home to Ireland on 4 February before facing France away eight days later.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Dickinson missing and doubts over Nel, Newcastle front-rower Jon Welsh returns for the first time since the 2015 World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

John Hardie, who started all five matches in last year’s tournament, is another Edinburgh player in Cotter’s plans working his way back to fitness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Edinburgh lock Ben Toolis is also selected having not appeared since the Six Nations of 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s a well-balanced and exciting group that have played a lot of rugby together, know each other well and are ambitious to do well in a Scotland jersey,” said Cotter.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I think if we get our mind-set right we can be competitive and push for wins in every game in this campaign.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, Scotland finished fourth in the championship after victories against Italy and France.<\/span><\/p>\n

In November’s autumn Tests, the Scots beat Argentina and Georgia after a narrow defeat by Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/sport\/rugby-union\/38657245<\/span><\/div>\n

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