Hines missed last Scotland's defeat in Cardiff with calf and ankle injuries.

Nathan Hines and Alasdair Strokosch have recovered sufficiently from injury to be included in Scotland coach Andy Robinson's latest 36-man squad.

Leinster lock Hines and Gloucester flanker Strokosch both missed the weekend defeat by Wales.

The squad will form not only the Six Nations match on Saturday at Stadio Flamini but the meeting the previous day against Italy A in Biella.

Robinson's enlarged party will gather at Murrayfield on Sunday.

They will train together on Monday and Tuesday, while additional players will be called up for Scotland A duty next week.

Hines had been forced to pull out of the team for last weekend's dramatic defeat in Cardiff with calf and ankle injuries.

Strokosch missed his country's opening two matches of the tournament with an ankle problem.

Centre Jim Thompson misses out through injury, but Edinburgh team-mate Simon Webster has been invited to train with the Scotland squad as part of the winger's recovery from injury.

Full-back Chris Paterson and wingers Thom Evans and Rory Lamont will miss the rest of the Six Nations campaign after injuries picked up against Wales.

Scotland squad

Backs: Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Max Evans (Glasgow), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow), Dan Parks (Glasgow), Mark Robertson (Edinburgh), Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Nikki Walker (Ospreys).

Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Roddy Grant (Edinburgh), Scott Gray (Northampton), Richie Gray (Glasgow), Dougie Hall (Glasgow), Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow), Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh), Euan Murray (Northampton), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Jon Welsh (Glasgow).

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version