Three ex-Howe of Fife players named in squad for four autumn tests coming up for Scottish national rugby team

Jamie Ritchie at a Scotland rugby training session at Edinburgh's Oriam in March (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group/SRU)

Former Howe of Fife players George Horne, Jamie Ritchie and Matt Fagerson have been named in a 45-strong squad for four autumn tests coming up for the Scottish national rugby team.

Glasgow Warriors scrum-half Horne, 29, is currently on 32 caps; Edinburgh blindside flanker Ritchie, 28, is on 51; and Horne’s Warriors team-mate Fagerson, 26, is on 47 at No 8.

Warriors centre Sione Tuipulotu has been named as captain by head coach Gregor Townsend, with former co-skippers Rory Darge and Finn Russell as his vice-captains.

Tickets have now sold out for Scotland’s matches against Fiji on Saturday, November 2; South Africa on Sunday, November 10; and Australia on Sunday, November 24, but they’re still available for their game against Portugal on Saturday, November 16.

Matt Fagerson playing for Scotland against Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Rome in March (Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)

Townsend, 51, said: “We’ve been encouraged by the early-season performances of our players and are looking forward to working with them once again.

“We had some standout performers on our summer tour who have earned their selections for the autumn test campaign.”

Explaining his change of skipper, he added: “Sione has been one of our key leaders over the last couple of years and thrives in that leadership role.

“We’ve seen that in his outings as Glasgow captain and when he had the opportunity to lead the team against Chile a few months ago.

“He often sets the emotional tone and mindset required for the team and he also contributes significantly to both our attack and defence.

“Last season we looked to deepen our leadership group and we now have a number of people who could step up as captain.

“Sione is aware that he will have leaders around him to offer support and share the leadership responsibilities needed throughout the week and during the game.”

Making up the rest of the Scots’ 26 forwards are Ewan Ashman, Patrick Harrison, Jamie Bhatti, Rory Sutherland, Josh Bayliss, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Luke Crosbie, Alex Craig, Jack Dempsey, Freddy Douglas, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Will Hurd, Ewan Johnson, Nathan McBeth, Elliot Millar Mills, Ben Muncaster, D’Arcy Rae, Dylan Richardson, Alex Samuel, Pierre Schoeman and Max Williamson.

Townsend’s 18 other backs are Matt Currie, Darcy Graham, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Harry Paterson, Ali Price, Arron Reed, Kyle Rowe, Mosese Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe and Ben White.