Borderer Ross Wolfenden named as Scotland captain for rugby’s 2026 Under-20 Six Nations
Former Peebles fly-half Ross Wolfenden has been named as captain of a Scotland squad for rugby’s 2026 Under-20 Six Nations featuring five fellow Borderers.
Head coach Fergus Pringle has announced a 31-strong initial squad for the tournament, made up of 17 forwards and 14 backs.
Wolfenden, in United Rugby Championship side Edinburgh’s academy since summer 2024, will be helped out with skippering duties by Glasgow Warriors hooker Joe Roberts, named as vice-captain by former Hawick lock Pringle.
The other Borderers in the South African-born 47-year-old’s squad are Kelso’s Jack Utterson, Gala’s Nairn Moncrieff, Peebles’ Rory McHaffie and Melrose’s Ollie Anderson and Jake Dalziel.
At 17, Dalziel, son of Scottish national team forwards coach John Dalziel, is the youngest player called up.
Like Wolfenden, hooker Utterson, winger Moncrieff and outside-back McHaffie are currently in Edinburgh’s academy.
Wolfenden and Moncrieff, both 19, featured in last year’s age-grade Six Nations squad – fifth-placed finishers that time round, with Kenny Murray, now national talent pathway lead, as head coach after winning one of their five fixtures and losing the other four – but their four fellow Borderers are new faces.
Scotland’s under-20s begin their tournament away to Italy this Friday in Treviso.
Scotland begin their tournament away to Italy a week on Friday, February 6, in Treviso.
They’re at home to England at Edinburgh’s Hive Stadium a week later, then head to Cardiff Arms Park seven days after that to take on Wales.
Their final home fixture sees the young Scots host defending champions France at the Hive on Friday, March 6, prior to proceedings concluding away to Ireland in Cork on Sunday, March 15.
Their first three games kick off at 7.15pm, their fourth at 6.15pm and their last one at 3.15pm.
“This is an exciting group that have had some time together in training camps over a number of weeks now and we’re looking forward to this championship,” said Pringle, with the Greens from 2003 to 2004 before switching to Edinburgh for four years.
“It’s really important for our best young players to be playing in meaningful games at a high level where they will be really challenged, and they will all experience that across the five fixtures.
“The coaches are hoping to see the sort of performances we know these players are capable of, and hopefully we will continue to see improvement from the group individually and collectively throughout the tournament.”
Utterson, Anderson and Roberts’ fellow forwards are Alfie Blackett, Sam Byrd, Oliver Finlayson-Russell, Christian Lindsay, Jack Marshall, Jamie McAughtrie, Oliver McKenna, Aidan Orr, Will Pearce, Harvey Preston, Rory Purvis, Jackson Rennie, Fin Ronnie and Jamie Stewart.
Joining Wolfenden, Dalziel, Moncrieff and McHaffie among the Scots’ backs are Felix Champain, Harry Clark, Calum Jessop, Gregor Johnston, Henry Kesterton, Hamish MacArthur, Adam McKenzie, Mitchell Newell, Campbell Waugh and Henry Widdowson.
Pringle is due to name his match-day squad of 23 to take on the Italians next Wednesday, February 4.