Scotland head coach Scott Johnson has sprung surprises in his training squad for the autumn Tests by including London Irish forwards Blair Cowan and Kieran Low.
The pair are among five uncapped players in a 41-man squad named ahead of next month’s Murrayfield matches against Japan, South Africa and Australia. The other three – Mark Bennett, Jonny Gray and Chris Fusaro – are Glasgow Warriors players.
Fusaro was denied a six nations debut by a groin injury which kept him out for nine months, while Johnson had previously praised Bennett and Gray for their impact on Glasgow’s excellent early-season form.
But Johnson showed he is keen to trawl deeper for new talent by picking the London Irish pair for the four-day camp in Glasgow, which meets on Sunday.
Low is a former England under-20 international flanker who qualifies for Scotland through his Dingwall-born grandfather.
New Zealand-born back-row forward Cowan qualifies through his Dunoon-born mother. The 27-year-old has previously played for Cornish Pirates and Worcester Warriors.
Johnson said: “We brought Kieran in because he has something different. He is a big, strong, athletic kid that can play six or five and we don’t have many of them. And the beauty of him, he is 22 and is going to grow into a big man. I want competition and I’m keen to explore his skill-set.
“We targeted Blair for a little while and kept having a look at him. I like the fact now he is playing purely as a seven.
“It gives us an opportunity because last year we were a bit exposed. We got a lot of injuries at seven, as most of the countries around the world do, and so we need to know which players can do what.”
Another back-row forward, Fusaro, was chosen ahead of South-Africa born Tyrone Holmes, who was man of the match as Glasgow beat Exeter in the Heineken Cup on Sunday.
Johnson added: “Fusaro’s form has been good. He came into our squad late last year and had a couple of injury problems. We are keen to see how he transfers his skills with everyone on board.”
Gray and Bennett have both done that for Glasgow this season. Second-row forward Gray, 19, joins elder brother Richie in the squad and, like 20-year-old centre Bennett, is a former Scotland under-20 captain.
Johnson said: “The two young boys’ form has been wonderful. Jonny Gray has been exemplary for Glasgow and has deserved his place. He is the form lock, you could argue, and for such a young man.
“Mark Bennett possesses something. We have kept an eye on him for the last 12 to 15 months and we like what we see. He has played really well in some games and we are not overly blessed with backs.”
There is no place for Scotland under-20 international Tommy Allan, who was recently named in Italy’s training squad.
The Perpignan fly half, whose uncle John Allan played for Scotland, has a Scottish father and Italian mother and Johnson is still unsure of his intentions after leaving a phone message with the player on Monday.