Scotland tour: Gregor Townsend on the strengths of the six uncapped players he’s picked for South America

In a squad announcement short on surprises, Gregor Townsend still found space to accommodate six uncapped players in his tour party for Argentina and Chile.

The Scotland coach usually likes to pull a rabbit out the hat on these occasions but his selection for South America was as notable for those left out as for the 40 who were picked.

Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell were the headline absentees, rested after a gruelling couple of seasons, while WP Nel, Fraser Brown and Stuart McInally have also been given the summer off with the aim of their coming back refreshed for next season and potentially the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The tour has come too soon for Jamie Ritchie, who tore his hamstring in the Six Nations win over England in February, and Cam Redpath, who is recovering from neck surgery after an injury sustained against Wales. There is also no place for Richie Gray, the Glasgow veteran.

The omissions have paved the way for half a dozen others to get their first taste of international rugby, with the A international against Chile in Santiago on June 25 a useful vehicle to blood the new talent ahead of three Test matches in Argentina.

London Irish’s prolific winger Kyle Rowe has been in excellent form and will be given his opportunity in South America after being part of the Six Nations squad but not winning a cap.

Ben Muncaster, Edinburgh’s pugnacious back-row forward, has been called up for the first time and is joined by clubmates Glen Young, the pacy second row, and Matt Currie, the centre. Glasgow Warriors supply two uncapped players in full-back Ollie Smith, who had a strong second half of the season, and Murphy Walker, the versatile prop who can play either side of the scrum.

“Murphy Walker’s really impressed us this