Not the band, thankfully, but Scotland head coach Vern Cotter today added five previously capped internationalists to Scotland’s training squad ahead of the must-win game against Italy this Saturday at BT Murrayfield (28 February, kick-off 2.30pm).
Scrum-half Chris Cusiter and prop Moray Low have been called up from Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs, along with young Edinburgh prop Alex Allan and back rowers Adam Ashe and David Denton.
Cusiter (knee) and Ashe (neck) were absent from Cotter’s initial squad selection due to injury, but have recovered to earn the recall – Cusiter started for Sale at the weekend although Ashe will be very short of game time. David Denton has recovered from the calf tear sustained in the national team’s pre-Championship camp in Glasgow last month but there is no sign of Sean Maitland. There were suggestions that Tommy Seymour might be also fit in time for the weekend which would be a welcome boost to the Scotland backline.
Low and Allan are direct replacements for Glasgow Warriors pair Jon Welsh (hand) and Gordon Reid (knee), who were injured in the previous match against Wales on Sunday 15 February.
The quintet began training with the squad this morning.