Former Crusaders and New Zealand under-20s first five-eighth Fergus Burke has been named in the Scotland squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

Burke last year signed a three-year deal with London-based Gallagher Premiership club Saracens after starting at 10 for the Crusaders.

He made 37 appearances for the Crusaders and 48 NPC matches for Canterbury. Burke was also part of the New Zealand under-20s side that finished seventh at the 2019 World Championships.

He will compete for the No 10 shirt with Finn Russell and Tom Jordan ahead of Scotland’s Six Nations opener against Italy on February 2.

“I chatted to Fergus before he signed for Saracens,” Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said.

“We’ve known about his Scottish heritage for two or three years now. He was in consideration in November, but we didn’t feel his game at that time got him into our squad.

“He’s playing better and better the more he plays. There is an opening in our squad with Adam [Hastings] getting injured too, so we feel it was the right time for him.”

Scotland Six Nations squad

Backs: Fergus Burke, Matt Currie, Jamie Dobie, Darcy Graham, George Horne, Rory Hutchinson, Huw Jones, Tom Jordan, Blair Kinghorn, Stafford McDowall, Finn Russell, Kyle Rowe, Sione Tuipulotu (capt), Duhan van der Merwe, Ben White

Forwards: Ewan Ashman, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti, Gregor Brown, Dave Cherry, Luke Crosbie, Scott Cummings, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, Matt Fagerson, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Patrick Harrison, Will Hurd, Jack Mann, D’Arcy Rae, Dylan Richardson, Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Sutherland, Marshall Sykes.