Ten months on from when his chance was cruelly snatched from him, Chris Fusaro is back in pole position for the specialist openside role in the November internationals for Scotland, while Jonny Gray is set to make the second row a family affair.
Fusaro, Gray and Mark Bennett, all from Glasgow Warriors, are the uncapped home-based players in Scott Johnson’s squad of 41 for the Viagogo Autumn Tests against Japan, South Africa and Australia.
The coach has also called up two uncapped back rowers, Kieran Low and Blair Cowan, who both play for London Irish.
However, Johnson firmly indicated that Fusaro, whom he picked for a pre-Six Nations squad in January before the former Howe of Fife product broke down with a groin injury, will get first shout at the seven jersey.
“We felt Fusaro deserved the right from his form more regularly for Glasgow,” said the interim head coach. “He’s an out-and-out seven, and I think we’re pretty comfortable that we wanted to give Chris the first ride.”
For Fusaro, after last year’s nightmare, it is a huge honour to get the call again.
“I’m over the moon, obviously. I was picked at the start of the year but I got injured a week into the training camp so didn’t make any of the games.
“It was one of those injuries I was carrying that I could have played through but it just got aggravated and I wasn’t able to get back in time for the Six Nations or the summer tour.
“To get so close and not make it over the final hurdle was devastating at the time. Hopefully, I can carry on to a cap this time.”
In the interim, his close friend and fellow Howe product Peter Horne has been capped, meaning Chris finds himself surrounded by internationals playing for the Warriors.
“I don’t know if I feel left out by that but I really want to be part of it,” he said. “I’m dying to pull on a blue jersey. That’s been the aim for a long time.”
Gray, still just 19, gets a deserved call-up after outstanding displays for Glasgow and could be set to lock up with his big brother Richie, possibly following in the illustrious footsteps of international brothers the Browns, Hastings, Milnes, Lamonts and Leslies.
“It’s something that people have often said to me but I’ve laughed it off before saying that it would never happen but I guess maybe it could now,” said Gray.
“It’s a massive honour and very unexpected, so I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
There’s the usual sibling rivalry between the pair but Jonny five years younger than Richie feels he has had the best role model possible.
“I’ve never felt any pressure to emulate my brother, it’s always been good to have him there,” he said.
“When I was growing up and coming through the academy he used to take me out training and I’d see all the extras you have to put in to get there at this level.
“Everyone says he’s laid back but he has always put a lot of work in.”
Johnson is wary of over-praising young players but thinks he has found a diamond in Jonny.
“Sometimes we get on a bandwagon by saying certain things and when you get into the depths of it they’re not as good as people think. That’s usually the rule. He’s probably the reverse.”
Squad:
Backs: M Bennett (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Glasgow), N De Luca (Edinburgh), A Dunbar (Glasgow), M Evans (Castres), T Heathcote (Bath), R Jackson (Glasgow), S Lamont (Glasgow), G Laidlaw (Edinburgh), S Maitland (Glasgow), H Pyrgos (Glasgow), M Scott (Edinburgh), T Seymour (Glasgow), D Taylor (Saracens), G Tonks (Edinburgh), T Visser (Edinburgh), D Weir (Glasgow).
Forwards: J Barclay (Scarlets), J Beattie (Montpellier), K Brown (Saracens), B Cowan (London Irish), G Cross (Edinburgh), D Denton (Edinburgh), A Dickinson (Edinburgh), R Ford (Edinburgh), C Fusaro (Glasgow), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh) R Grant (Glasgow), J Gray (Glasgow), R Gray (Castres), J Hamilton (Montpellier), R Harley (Glasgow), A Kellock (Glasgow), S Lawson (Newcastle), K Low (London Irish), M Low (Glasgow), P MacArthur (Glasgow), E Murray (Worcester), A Strokosch (Perpignan), T Swinson (Glasgow), J Welsh (Glasgow).
Invited to train with squad: Stuart McInally and Ross Rennie (both Edinburgh).