Newcastle Back Row Ollie Leatherbarrow Earns Scotland Call Up Newcastle 2026

Key Points

• Uncapped Newcastle Red Bulls back-row forward Ollie Leatherbarrow has received his first senior Scotland call-up for the upcoming autumn Nations Championship fixtures.
• Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has named a 37-man squad to face New Zealand, Australia, and Japan at Murrayfield in November.
• In-form Edinburgh back-rowers Magnus Bradbury and Freddy Douglas are surprising omissions from the selection.
• Senior trio Jamie Ritchie, Darcy Graham, and Duhan van der Merwe have all been included after returning recently from injury.
• Macclesfield-born Leatherbarrow qualifies for Scotland through his Perth-born grandmother and has previously represented the nation at under-16 and under-20 levels.
• Japan-based back-rower Jack Dempsey retains his spot in the national setup despite leaving Glasgow Warriors in the summer to join Toshiba Brave Lupus.

Newcastle (Newcastle Times) October 26, 2026 – Uncapped Newcastle Red Bulls back-row forward Ollie Leatherbarrow has earned his first senior Scotland call-up after head coach Gregor Townsend named him in a 37-man squad for the upcoming Nations Championship home fixtures. Scotland are scheduled to host New Zealand, Australia, and Japan at Murrayfield in November before concluding the tournament during the final placement weekend at Twickenham. The inclusion of the 24-year-old former Exeter Chiefs player comes alongside the return of key senior figures from injury, though the omission of in-form Edinburgh forwards Magnus Bradbury and Freddy Douglas has raised eyebrows.

Who is Ollie Leatherbarrow and how did he qualify for Scotland?

As reported by sports writing covering the squad announcement, Ollie Leatherbarrow’s inclusion marks his first entry into the senior international setup following prior representation at age-grade levels. Born in Macclesfield, the 24-year-old Newcastle Red Bulls back-row forward qualifies to represent Scotland through his Perth-born grandmother.

As detailed across media coverage, Leatherbarrow previously featured for Scotland at both under-16 and under-20 levels. He began his professional career with Premiership side Exeter Chiefs before completing a move to Newcastle in 2023, where his persistent form in the back row has now caught the attention of national head coach Gregor Townsend ahead of the international window.

Which senior players are returning to the Scotland squad?

Gregor Townsend’s 37-man selection features the return of several high-profile stars who have recently recovered from injury setbacks. As noted in the squad release, Edinburgh wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe have both been included after returning to action. Former national captain Jamie Ritchie, who currently plays for Glasgow Warriors, also makes his return to the forward pack.

In addition to the returning backline heavyweights, experienced lock Grant Gilchrist recently returned from injury, while back-rower Jack Dempsey has retained his place in the national group despite his off-season move from Glasgow Warriors to Japanese outfit Toshiba Brave Lupus.

Glasgow Warriors hooker Seb Stephen, who earned his debut cap during July’s Nations Championship encounter against Fiji, is named as one of three hookers alongside Ewan Ashman and Gregor Hiddleston.

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Who are the key players left out of Gregor Townsend’s selection?

Despite the return of established figures, the selection process has resulted in several notable exclusions. As reported by sports media covering the squad unveil, Edinburgh back-row duo Magnus Bradbury and Freddy Douglas are surprising omissions given their strong form leading into the international break.

Similarly, Edinburgh scrum-half Hector Patterson had been touted for a potential call-up following a bright start to the domestic season, but the youngster has not made the cut. Townsend has instead opted for established options inside back with Ben White, George Horne, and Jamie Dobie securing the scrum-half berths.

What is the schedule for Scotland’s upcoming Nations Championship matches?

Scotland are preparing for a rigorous schedule of autumn fixtures at their Edinburgh home before heading to London for the tournament’s final stage.

The match schedule at Murrayfield is structured as follows:

• 7 November: Scotland vs New Zealand (All Blacks)
• 15 November: Scotland vs Australia (Wallabies)
• 21 November: Scotland vs Japan (Brave Blossoms)

Following the three home fixtures, Scotland will head to Twickenham for the concluding weekend of the Nations Championship on 28-29 November. The fixtures for the final weekend will be determined by the cumulative placings of the northern and southern hemisphere countries across these games and the ones played in July.

What is the full 37-man Scotland squad?

Head coach Gregor Townsend has named a split of 21 forwards and 16 backs for the test series:

Forwards

• Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh)
• Josh Bayliss (Bath)
• Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
• Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors)
• Alex Craig (Glasgow Warriors)
• Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors)
• Jack Dempsey (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
• Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
• Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
• Jonny Gray (Perpignan)
• Gregor Hiddleston (Glasgow Warriors)
• Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers)
• Ollie Leatherbarrow (Newcastle Red Bulls)
• Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors)
• Liam McConnell (Edinburgh)
• Elliot Millar Mills (Newcastle Red Bulls)
• Jamie Ritchie (Glasgow Warriors)
• Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh)
• Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors)
• Seb Stephen (Glasgow Warriors)
• Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors)

Backs

• Fergus Burke (Saracens)
• Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors)
• Darcy Graham (Edinburgh)
• George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
• Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)
• Huw Jones (Toulon)
• Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears)
• Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse)
• Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors)
• Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors)
• Finn Russell (Bath)
• Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors)
• Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors)
• Sione Tuipulotu – captain (Glasgow Warriors)
• Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh)
• Ben White (Toulon)

Background of the particular development

The selection of Ollie Leatherbarrow and the structure of the current squad reflect Scotland’s ongoing efforts to broaden their depth in the back row while navigating the international calendar. The Nations Championship format links summer and autumn test matches into a global tournament, creating defined stakes for fixtures against Southern Hemisphere opposition like New Zealand and Australia.

Townsend’s selection process continues to combine reliance on core senior players with the integration of talent qualifying through family heritage. Leatherbarrow’s progression from Exeter Chiefs to Newcastle Red Bulls, combined with his prior experience in the Scotland age-grade system, aligns with an established squad-building process aimed at maintaining competition across the forward pack.

Prediction: How will this squad selection affect the team and supporters?

The selection of this 37-man squad presents specific operational dynamics for Scotland’s campaign, affecting both the playing group and the fanbase.

For the playing group, the inclusion of Ollie Leatherbarrow adds another option to the back-row competition alongside established international forwards such as Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, and Jack Dempsey. His presence provides Townsend with additional depth when planning rotations across back-to-back tests against New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. Conversely, the omission of Magnus Bradbury, Freddy Douglas, and Hector Patterson signals strict selection criteria based on tactical fit, requiring unselected club players to maintain form to re-enter calculations.

For Scottish supporters, the availability of returning strike runners Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe provides clear offensive capability heading into matches against tier-one opponents. The outcome of the opening home fixtures at Murrayfield will directly impact team positioning heading into the final placement matches at Twickenham on the weekend of 28-29 November.