Six Nations: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend adds six players to squad

Forward Jonny Gray is one of five Scotland players dropping out the squad

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has added six players to his Six Nations squad to take on France after a host of withdrawals.

Uncapped Glasgow Warriors duo Ollie Smith and Kiran McDonald are drafted in, along with Simon Berghan, Oli Kebble, Marshall Sykes and James Lang.

"This is a great opportunity for the new players to impress," Townsend said.

"There are often changes made to the squad throughout the championship and it is a challenge we are much better equipped to deal with given our current squad depth."

Townsend added the injured players' progress will be monitored before "the final two games", but forward Gray is set to miss the remainder of the tournament with an ankle injury.

The Exeter Chiefs lock was missing from his side's Premiership victory against Newcastle Falcons on Sunday.

Following the 15-14 win, the club's director of rugby Rob Baxter confirmed Gray's rehabilitation period is "likely to be the length of the Six Nations".

"There's some thought that the last Six Nations game might be within reach, but I think that's tough," Baxter said.

"He's had an injury-hit period over the last nine months or so and it [ankle] will get better in seven or eight weeks."

Scotland are fourth in the Six Nations table after an opening-weekend win against England was followed by defeat in Wales.

Townsend's men will seek to get back to winning ways on Saturday (14:15 GMT) when they welcome a France side who sit top after winning their first two fixtures to Murrayfield.

Scotland squad

Forwards: Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), Simon Berghan (Glasgow Warriors), Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby), Andy Christie (Saracens), Allan Dell (London Irish), Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors, Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Nick Haining (Edinburgh Rugby), Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh Rugby) Oli Kebble (Glasgow Warriors), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby), Kiran McDonald (Glasgow Warriors), WP Nel (Edinburgh Rugby), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Marshall Sykes (Edinburgh Rugby), George Turner (Glasgow Warriors), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby).

Backs: Mark Bennett (Edinburgh Rugby), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby), Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh Rugby), James Lang (Edinburgh Rugby), Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Rowe (London Irish), Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors), Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors), Ben Vellacott (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben White (London Irish).