Scrum-half Jamie Dobie, tighthead prop Murphy Walker and back-row Josh Bayliss are the other three players who have been released from the squad; the 2023 Rugby World Cup gets under way on September 8 in France
Stuart McInally has been left out of Scotland’s 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Stuart McInally’s rugby career is over after the long-serving Edinburgh hooker was one of four players cut as Scotland named their 33-man World Cup squad.
The 33-year-old, who captained the national team at Japan 2019, announced at the end of last season that he would retire after this autumn’s showpiece in France to become an airplane pilot but, after being part of the training squad this summer, he has not made the final selection.
Scrum-half Jamie Dobie, tighthead prop Murphy Walker and back-row Josh Bayliss, who have accumulated 10 caps between them, are the other three players who have been released from the squad.
McInally won his 49th and final cap in last Saturday’s 30-27 defeat by France in Saint-Etienne.
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First-choice scrum-half Ben White is in the squad, indicating that he has been given the all-clear after seeing a specialist this week about his ankle injury.
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Captain Jamie Ritchie leads a selection comprising 19 forwards and 14 backs for a Pool B campaign that will see Scotland face South Africa, Tonga, Romania and Ireland.
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Flanker Ritchie is one of 15 players to have appeared at a previous Rugby World Cup, with second rows Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist, tighthead prop WP Nel, as well as stand-off Finn Russell, all set for a third tournament. Back-row forward Jack Dempsey represented Australia in Japan four years ago.
The others to have featured at a Rugby World Cup, all in 2019, include forwards Zander Fagerson, (tighthead prop), George Turner (hooker), Scott Cummings (second row) and Hamish Watson (flanker); and backs Darcy Graham (wing), Chris Harris (centre), Blair Kinghorn (full-back), George Horne and Ali Price (both scrum-half).
Edinburgh’s Darcy Graham has been included in Scotland’s 33-man squad
Gray, one of seven players named with more than 50 Scotland appearances, is the most-capped member of the squad on 75, with veteran Nel the eldest at 37 years old.
At the other end of the spectrum, full-back Ollie Smith is the youngest in the squad having recently turned 23, with stand-off Ben Healy the least-capped with two.
The other players preparing for their Rugby World Cup debut are forwards Ewan Ashman, Dave Cherry (both hooker), Jamie Bhatti, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland (all loosehead prop), Javan Sebastian (tighthead prop), Sam Skinner (second row) and back-row trio Luke Crosbie, Rory Darge and Matt Fagerson.
Scrum-half White, centres Huw Jones, Cameron Redpath and Sione Tuipulotu, and wingers Duhan van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn complete the selection.
Scotland’s Zander Fagerson celebrates after scoring a try during the 2019 Rugby World Cup
Forwards
Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) 8 caps
Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps
Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby) 9 caps
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh Rugby) 5 caps
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps
Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps
Jack Dempsey (Glasgow Warriors) 11 caps
Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 35 caps
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 59 caps
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) 64 caps
Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 75 caps
WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby) 55 caps
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) – CAPTAIN – 42 caps
Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) 23 caps
Javan Sebastian (Edinburgh Rugby) 5 caps
Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) 27 caps
Rory Sutherland (Unattached) 25 caps
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors) 37 caps
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) 58 caps
Backs
Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) 35 caps
Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby) 43 caps
Ben Healy (Edinburgh Rugby) 2 caps
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 22 caps
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby) 46 caps
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 63 caps
Cameron Redpath (Bath Rugby) 7 caps
Finn Russell (Bath Rugby) 71 caps
Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors) 5 caps
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors) 12 caps
Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors) 18 caps
Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) 30 caps
Ben White (RC Toulon) 15 caps
