Veteran lock Scott Murray has been left out of Scotland's 35-man training squad for the RBS 6 Nations which meets on Monday.
Murray left out of training squad
Veteran lock Scott Murray has been left out of Scotland's 35-man training squad for the RBS 6 Nations which meets on Monday.
The 31-year-old is joined by other established players - centre Marcus Di Rollo, prop Craig Smith and hooker Scott Lawson in the wilderness.
Head coach Frank Hadden has gone for a more youthful look to the large squad by naming uncapped Edinburgh quartet Ross Rennie, Calum MacRae, Ben Cairns and Nick De Luca, along with Glasgow winger Thom Evans and prop Moray Low.
However, he has left the door open for Murray - who won his 87th cap in the World Cup defeat to New Zealand - and others, to play their way back into the side.
"It is definitely not all over for Scott, the door is never closed," he said. "It is important to understand that it is a training squad for Monday, not for the Six Nations.
"There will be an opportunity for a number of guys who are not included who have been part of the squad before. The key to the second row is competition.
"Scott has done well in France but we've got young guys champing at the bit who are playing well too.
"So the opportunity is there for them to show what they can do."
Centres Rob Dewey and Andrew Henderson will attend the squad despite carrying injuries, as will Stade Francais number eight Simon Taylor, who has a thumb problem.
However, Northampton winger Sean Lamont is out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.
