Tuesday 2 June 2015 13:21, UK
John Barclay's hopes of ending his two-year Scotland exile have been given a major boost after being named in Vern Cotter's 46-man World Cup training squad.
The 28-year-old Scarlets flanker has been overlooked for successive RBS Six Nations tournaments despite his impressive form for his Welsh region.
Also called up is South African-born William Nel as well as uncapped forwards Allan Dell and Stuart McInally of Edinburgh, and Glasgow's Hugh Blake.
Wings Damien Hoyland and Rory Hughes, who are among those hoping to make their first international starts, are included too. The squad will be reduced to 31 for the tournament in England this September.
Scotland head coach Cotter said: "The selection process was made easier by some good performances from a number of players, especially in the latter part of the season.
We'll focus on preparing appropriately for each of those matches, so that we can become as effective as possible in this Rugby World Cup
"Flexibility and being able to adapt are among our key themes as we move towards the final 31 and the Rugby World Cup. This is not a firmly fixed squad, it's a living document.
'Selection'
"There are a number of players we've spoken to who will be working on things with their clubs and looking for form, and may well feature in our warm-up games as a chance to push for selection."
Josh Strauss - another South African - is included despite the fact he becomes eligible just four days before Scotland's first match against Japan on September 23, while Mike Cusack is named after a two-year injury lay-off.
And Glasgow back-rower Ryan Wilson will hope to put his four-month suspension behind him following a court conviction for assault.
Noticeable absentees include former skipper Kelly Brown, number eight Johnnie Beattie and Dougie Fife, the scorer of the Scots' opening try in this year's Six Nations against France in Paris.
Scotland will face France, Ireland and Italy as part of the team's build-up to the World Cup.
The squad travel to train at high altitude in Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees in two weeks before returning home for two months of skills, conditioning and tactical training.
Cotter added: "Our priorities will focus on the major aspects of the game. Physically we'll be working very hard to find peak form. We know that teams play better in the Rugby World Cup, and we want to be one of those teams.
"We have four matches before the tournament; four 80-minute spells in which we can practice our combinations and work our plays, in attack and defence, providing opportunities for a number of players to compete for a place in the final 31.
"Every team entering the Rugby World Cup wants to win, but to win a World Cup you first have to qualify from your pool, and that's our major focus: two games in five days (Japan and USA) followed by another in six (South Africa) and another in seven (Samoa).
"We'll focus on preparing appropriately for each of those matches, so that we can become as effective as possible in this Rugby World Cup.”
World Cup warm-up squad:
Props: Mike Cusack (Glasgow), Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh), Ryan Grant (Glasgow), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Gordon Reid (Glasgow), Jon Welsh (Newcastle).
Hookers: Fraser Brown (Glasgow), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh).
Second-row: Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Johnny Gray (Glasgow), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Robert Harley (Glasgow), Tim Swinson (Glasgow).
Back-row: Adam Ashe (Glasgow), John Barclay (Scarlets), Hugh Blake (Glasgow), Blair Cowan (London Irish), David Denton (Edinburgh), Josh Strauss (Glasgow), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh).
Scrum-half: Chris Cusiter (Sale), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester), Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow).
Stand-off: Ruaridh Jackson (Wasps), Finn Russell (Glasgow), Duncan Weir (Glasgow).
Centre: Mark Bennett (Glasgow), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow), Peter Horne (Glasgow), Matt Scott (Edinburgh), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Richie Vernon (Glasgow).
Back-three: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow), Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh), Rory Hughes (Glasgow), Sean Lamont (Glasgow), Sean Maitland (London Irish), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh), Tim Visser (Harlequins).
