Scott Johnson calls his selection for the autumn internationals a training squad with the 2015 Rugby World Cup in mind.
The interim Scotland head coach has named five uncapped players in his 41-man squad for the games against Japan, South Africa and Australia during November. These will be a good test for Scotland with them likely to lose agaisnt South Africa, probably Australia and take a tight win against Japan.
Regards the future, Scott Johnson is quoted as saying: “We want to continue building a depth to the squad,” “I have a duty of care to do that 24 months out from the World Cup.” He said of Mark Bennett and Jonny Gray `“They’ve been consistent, which is often a challenge for younger players, and they’ve shown the resolve to get better”
The five new names are: Mark Bennett, Jonny Gray and Chris Fusaro from Glasgow Warriors and London Irish back-row pair Kieran Low, 22, and Blair Cowan, 27.
Scotland run out against Japan on 9 November, then South Africa on 17 November and Australia just six days later.
All three games will be played at Murrayfield. The squad is made up of; 18 Warriors, ten from Edinburgh and the other thirteen form a mixture of clubs in England, France and Wales.
Scotland training squad for autumn Tests:
Backs: Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Tom Heathcote (Bath), Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors), Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh), Tim Visser (Edinburgh), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
Forwards: John Barclay (Scarlets), John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), David Denton (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), Pat MacArthur (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)