Chile v Scotland A: Gregor Townsend places trust in home-based players with one notable exception

The strength or otherwise of the Scottish pro teams will be put to the test in Santiago on Saturday when a matchday squad containing 22 players from Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors takes on Chile in an A international.

Javan Sebastian, the Scarlets tighthead prop, is the one exception and he will start alongside eight from Glasgow and six from Edinburgh. There is a five-three Edinburgh-Glasgow split on the bench.

The opening match of Scotland’s South American tour falls outside the designated international window so Gregor Townsend has been unable to call upon his English-based players. Indeed, such is the agreement hammered out with Premiership Rugby Limited that the Exiles have not yet been permitted to join the rest of the squad and will only arrive in Chile on Saturday.

Also flying in is Glasgow hooker George Turner, who has recovered from the illness that prevented him travelling with the original party.

Townsend has selected six uncapped players to face Chile - three in the XV and three among the replacements - as he looks to test out some new talent.

Glasgow’s wretched end to the season hasn’t prevented them supplying the bulk of the starting side and Ollie Smith has been picked at full-back. Matt Currie, the Edinburgh outside centre, also starts alongside his club-mate Ben Muncaster, who can play across the back row but has been picked at blindside flanker after a highly impressive first campaign as a pro. The three uncapped players on the bench are Glasgow hooker Johnny Matthews, Glasgow prop Murphy Walker and Edinburgh lock Glen Young.

Edinburgh flanker Luke Crosbie, who has one cap, will captain the team and there are starts for Glasgow’s Ross Thompson (also one cap) and Rufus McLean (two caps) at stand-off and