Kelly Brown will skipper Scotland in South Africa © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Denton braced for bruising encounters

News: Blackadder favourite for Scotland post

News: Scott Johnson appointed Scotland boss

Scotland have named nine uncapped players in their squad for the summer's quadrangular tournament in South Africa.

Scotland's June Fixtures

• Saturday June 8 v Samoa, King's Park, Durban, 13.15 (BST)
• Saturday June 15 v South Africa, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit, 16.15 (BST)
• Saturday June 22 - match to determine final placings, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria,

Scotland face Samoa and South Africa on successive weekends in June and will face a further match to determine tournament placings on June 22. Scott Johnson, who was named Scotland's new director of rugby last week, will preside over the tour with Ospreys forward coach Jonathan Humphreys also joining him.

And with Stuart Hogg, Richie Gray and Sean Maitland on British & Irish Lions duty in June, Johnson has used the opportunity to blood nine fresh faces. Six of the uncapped players are from Glasgow Warriors, who booked their place in the RaboDirect PRO12 play-offs on Friday, with Pat MacArthur, Peter Murchie, Peter Horne, Alex Dunbar, Tommy Seymour and Tim Swinson all getting the nod.

They are joined in the party by Edinburgh's Steven Lawrie and Greig Tonks while Saracens' Duncan Taylor is also included.

Saracens' Kelly Brown will skipper for the side and Scott Johnson, who will continue as head coach for the tour while the Scottish Rugby Union seeks to make a permanent appointment, is looking forward to seeing how his young side does against the strong southern hemisphere side.

"First up, it's a strong squad designed to win Test matches against quality opposition," Johnson said. "We've continued to monitor the players' form closely and weave been pleased that Glasgow have reached the knockout stages of the Rabo.

"We are taking the opportunity to have a look at some players and want to assess what they're like at this level. We need to be able to find out whether players who've done the business for their clubs can replicate that form in international footy.

"We also want to enable certain players who are known to us - for example Nick De Luca and Max Evans - to have the sort of off-season physical preparation that they've not had for a few years because of the demands of touring schedules."

Scotland squad:

Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton (both Edinburgh Rugby), Alasdair Dickinson (Sale Sharks), Ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist (both Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors), Steven Lawrie (Edinburgh Rugby), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors), Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors)

Backs: Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Heathcote (Bath Rugby), Peter Horne, Ruaridh Jackson (both Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Lamont, Peter Murchie, Henry Pyrgos (all Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks and Tim Visser (both Edinburgh Rugby)