Hogg ready to grasp chance

Should Glasgow Warriors utility back Hogg come off the replacements' bench on Sunday - and he seems certain to do so as cover for every position in the three-quarters, bar half-back - he would join a distinguished band of teenagers to make their debuts for Scotland.

Among them is Gregor Townsend, someone Hogg watched as a schoolboy and who is now the Scotland attack coach after a career featuring 82 caps, plus two for the British and Irish Lions.

The 19-year-old, who mainly plays at full-back or outside centre, said: "As a kid you dream of playing for Scotland and now I've got the opportunity.

"If I get on I'll grab it with both hands and hopefully do what I've been doing and really enjoy it."

Hogg was just eight months old when Townsend made his Scotland bow in the 1993 Five Nations, six weeks before his 20th birthday.

He cannot recall the Five Nations - his earliest memories of the tournament are of crowding around the television at home in Hawick to watch after Italy joined in 2000 to form the Six Nations.

Massively excited

"Now I've got the opportunity to do it I'm massively excited," said Hogg, who does not turn 20 until June.

"There will be nobody in the house, they will all be at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.

"There are many, many players I looked up to back in the day and it's now my turn hopefully for people to look up to me."

Townsend's position as attack coach has come under scrutiny, particularly due to Scotland's lack of tries in Tests, as illustrated in last Saturday's 13-6 loss to England.

However, Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has maintained it is a collective failing and supports the former Scotland back.

If Hogg can show the incisive running he has demonstrated this season for Glasgow and in his score from his own half in Scotland A's 35-0 win over England Saxons last week, he could offer something of a solution to Scotland's offensive woes.

Scotland's training sessions this week have concentrated on making - and crucially taking - chances after the profligate performance against England.

"We've worked a lot this week on two v ones and line breaks, what we do after," Hogg added. "We've worked hard on that this week and at the weekend if it comes again we'll follow through and score some tries."