Scotland had the highest number of foreign-born players in last season’s Six Nations and they are showing no sign of slowing down their ravenous recruitment strategy in 2025.
Reports in the UK suggest Fergus Burke, the Kiwi born No.10 who played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby last year before moving to English club Saracens, is on Gregor Townsend’s wish list for next months Six Nations.
Burke, 25, played 42 times for the Crusaders and was part of the 2019 New Zealand U20s team.
He went to Saracens to replace Owen Farrell and has impressed so far.
If Burke is selected by Townsend, he will join a strong line up under pinned by southern hemisphere talent – including their Australian captain Sione Tuipulotu. No other Six Nations team gets close to the number of overseas born players in their squad.
During the Autumn Series, New Zealander Tom Jordan debuted and is likely to be part of the squad, having just moved from Glasgow to Bristol Bears.
Former Wallaby Jack Dempsey has been a regular for Townsend when fit, while Lions winger Duhan van der Merwe and star prop Pierre Schoeman represented South Africa U20s. Tuipulotu’s brother Mosese is also a chance of playing in the Six Nations having debuted for Scotland A late last year.
Burke is also eligible for England through his mother who is from Dover, New Zealand as he was born in Gisborne, and Scotland via his grandfather being from Glasgow.
When he joined Saracens Burke said he had his eye on playing international rugby.
Fergus Burke. (Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)
“I am driven by international rugby, I’ve talked to people in and around it but, to be honest, I’ve got things to focus on here. If I can play good rugby and we can get some results that stuff can take care of itself,” Burke said.
The UK Telegraph reported: “The selection of Burke, who would be an understudy to Finn Russell with Tom Jordan of Glasgow Warriors also expected to feature, is due to be decided upon by Gregor Townsend and the Scotland coaches early next week.
