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Stuart Hogg has been appointed as the new Scotland captain for the Guinness Six Nations, the Scottish Rugby Union has announced.<\/p>\nStuart Hogg has been appointed as the new Scotland captain for the Guinness Six Nations, the Scottish Rugby Union has announced.<\/p>\n
The Exeter full-back takes over from Stuart McInally, who led the team out during last year\u2019s disappointing World Cup campaign.<\/p>\n
With 71 caps, the two-time British and Irish Lion is the most experienced player in the 38-man squad named by Gregor Townsend for this year\u2019s championship, which start for Scotland with a trip to Dublin on February 1.<\/p>\n
McInally was given the armband ahead of former skippers Greig Laidlaw and John Barclay as the team flew out to Japan.<\/p>\n
But the Edinburgh hooker had a disappointing tournament and was left out of the starting line-up as the Dark Blues saw their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals evaporate with defeat to the hosts in their final pool match.<\/p>\n
Laidlaw and Barclay have since announced their retirements from international action and Townsend has now decided it is time for Hogg, one of only two genuinely world-class operators in his squad along with Finn Russell, to take over.<\/p>\n
Townsend has also handed a recall to centers Matt Scott, Huw Jones and Rory Hutchinson after all three were left out of the squad that traveled to the Far East in the autumn \u2013 but Saracens\u2019 Duncan Taylor is a notable absentee.<\/p>\n
There are also first call-ups for Gloucester lock Alex Craig, Glasgow wing Ratu Tagive, Warriors flanker Tom Gordon and Edinburgh number eight Nick Haining.<\/p>\n
Explaining his captaincy call, Townsend said: \u201cStuart is very passionate about playing for Scotland and he\u2019s determined to do all he can to improve Scotland. He really cares about playing for his country, what the jersey represents and also getting the best out of his team-mates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a really intelligent rugby player who\u2019s is learning and improving with every season. He\u2019s very good at bringing others into the game and building relationships with those around him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s very well respected by our coaching and playing group but that isn\u2019t based on the accolades he\u2019s earned. It\u2019s more about what he does every day at training.\u201d<\/p>\n
Townsend added: \u201cHe brings energy, is very accurate, he stays out to longer to work on his game and more often than not he\u2019s the loudest player on the field, guiding or congratulating his team-mates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe really wanted to take on the honor and responsibility of being captain, which was a huge positive and \u2013 having heard his plans for how he would work as a captain and work to bring the best out of others, while being able to focus on his own game \u2013 meant it became a relatively straightforward decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have a strong group of leaders around him that can help but it\u2019s a new squad and a new era, and Stuart has an opportunity to help this group reach its potential.\u201d<\/p>\n