FORMER Dunfermline Rugby Club star Murray McCallum has been named in the Scotland squad for the upcoming NatWest Six Nations Championship.

The McKane Park youth product is one of four uncapped players selected in Gregor Townsend's 40-strong pool for the tournament, which kicks off next month.

Edinburgh Rugby prop McCallum, 21, came through the ranks with Dunfermline and signed a two-year professional deal with the capital club last March after graduating from the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy.

The former Woodmill High School pupil represented Caledonia as part of regional pathway programmes before gaining Scotland recognition at under-18 and under-20 levels.

In 18 caps for the under-20s, McCallum - who performed at loose-head in age-grade internationals - featured in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship of 2015 and played in the 2016 Under-20 Six Nations.

He was picked for a two-day Scotland training camp in August last year as part of head coach Townsend's preparations for the autumn internationals with Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.

Earlier this week, former Scotland player Peter Wright suggested McCallum should be considered for the Six Nations with Townsend facing selection problems in the front row.

His place in the squad has now been confirmed and Townsend told Scottish Rugby's website: "With the announcement of this 40-man squad, we are now entering the key stages of our preparation for this year’s NatWest 6 Nations Championship.

"It’s a bigger squad than we originally planned –which is largely down to the competition for places – with a number of players having performed well in the Autumn Tests and a few others putting their hands up for selection in recent weeks.

"We are looking forward to working with them and the rest of the squad to ensure that we build on the momentum the players generated in 2017."

Scotland begin their camapign against Wales in Cardiff on February 3 before a home double-header with France and England.

They travel to Dublin to play Ireland on March 10 before concluding their campaign in Italy seven days later.