More than 50 players who represented Scotland in matches that at the time did not have Test status are to be awarded international caps.

The other 27 featured in 'Scotland XV' line-ups but will now join the 1,140 players to have been capped since 1871.

All Scotland Women players will receive a cap, as the physical presentation was not always part of the women's game.

"Awarding a cap retrospectively may seem purely symbolic or belated by some people, but I know from conversations with some of those players and their families what this decision will mean to them," said Scottish Rugby Union president Colin Rigby.

"Given this year marks the 150th anniversary of the formation of the union, we wanted to look afresh at our history and recognise the rich and enduring contribution those players have made to our game."

Existing chronological Scotland cap numbers will not be affected and nor will the past caps and points records of other players who won full caps be adjusted.

All 56 retrospective capped players will be added in a panel after Scotland's most recent player, Cameron Henderson of Leicester, who was cap number 1140 and thus the new players will run forward from 1141 to 1196.

The most recent players not to receive a cap until now were Melrose flanker Craig Redpath in a 23-5 victory in Nuku'alofa against Tonga in 1993 and Willie Anderson of Glasgow Caledonians/Kirkcaldy in a 85-3 win against Spain in a World Cup qualifier in 1998.

Redpath was on the bench for the legendary Grand Slam season of 1990 but did not feature other than the game against Tonga.

The full list of those players to be awarded retrospective caps is on the SRU's website.