Calum Cusiter has been drafted into the Scotland squad for next month's IRB Sevens World Series leg in New Zealand.

The 26-year-old brother of Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter had never previously been called into a senior international squad.

However coach Stephen Gemmell has handed the Border Reivers player a chance to impress in Wellington over the weekend of February 2-3 and a week later in San Diego.

Cusiter, also a scrum-half, said: "I haven't represented Scotland at sevens before so I was thrilled when I got the phone call.

"It will be a new experience for me playing on such a big stage and I am determined to show what I can do. It will be a bonus to get a taste of international rugby on the top sevens circuit."

His Borders team-mates Scott Newlands and Sean Crombie have also been called up, along with national academy (Edinburgh) centre Chris Kinloch.

Scotland 7s squad for Wellington, New Zealand (2-3 February) & San Diego, USA (10-11 February): Michael Adamson (Glasgow Warriors & Glasgow Hawks), Ben Addison (Glasgow Warriors & Stirling County), Sean Crombie (Border Reivers & Aberdeen GSFP), Calum Cusiter (Border Reivers), Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Forrest (Border Reivers & Hawick) CAPTAIN, Lee Kibble (Border Reivers & Gala), Chris Kinloch (Fettes College & Edinburgh Academicals), Scott Newlands (Border Reivers & Kelso), Mark Robertson (Border Reivers & Melrose), Colin Shaw (Glasgow Warriors), Colin White (Glasgow Warriors & Cartha Queen's Park)

Unavailable due to injury: Calum Forrester (Glasgow Warriors & GHA) - groin

IRB World Sevens Series - Scotland 7s pools and fixtures:
Wellington, New Zealand - Day 1 (Friday 2 February)
England 7s v Scotland 7s, kick-off 1pm
Samoa 7s v Scotland 7s, kick-off 4:18pm
Scotland 7s v Papua New Guinea, kick-off 6:52pm

San Diego, USA - San Diego (Saturday 10 February)
Fiji 7s v Scotland 7s, kick-off 10:44am
Argentina 7s v Scotland 7s, kick-off 2:12pm
Scotland 7s v West Indies 7s, kick-off 4:34pm

All kick-off times are local time.

IRB Sevens World Series
Dubai, UAE - 1-2 December
George, South Africa - 8-9 December
Wellington, New Zealand - 2-3 February
San Diego, USA - 10-11 February
Hong Kong, China (30-31 March, 1 April)
Adelaide, Australia (7-8 April)
London, England (26-27 May)
Edinburgh, Scotland (2-3 June)