Melrose’s Dylan Cockburn one of six new faces in Scotland squad for World Rugby U20 Trophy on home turf

The 18-year-old’s fellow new boys in head coach Kenny Murray’s 28-strong squad for the tournament, being held at the capital’s Hive Stadium, are props Ollie Blyth-Lafferty and Jake Shearer, hooker Seb Stephen, scrum-half Conor McAlpine and centre Ludo Kolade.

The former Southern Knight is one of three Borderers selected, along with Denholm’s Hector Patterson and Selkirk’s Callum Smyth.

Scrum-half Patterson and prop Smyth are both academy players at United Rugby Championship sides, the former at Edinburgh and the latter at Glasgow Warriors.

Two fellow Borderers previously regulars for Scotland’s under-20s, Gala’s Kerr Johnston and Melrose’s Finn Douglas, have been ruled out by injury.

Scotland play Samoa in their first pool match on Tuesday, July 2, with kick-off at 5.15pm, then Hong Kong China on Sunday, July 7, at 2.30pm, and Japan on Friday, July 12, at 7.45pm, with a play-off to follow on Wednesday, July 17, if they finish top of their table.

Promotion to the World Rugby U20 Championship next year is on offer for the winner of that play-off and Scotland, relegated from that top-tier competition in 2019, are hoping they can enginner a comeback after what would be six years away.

Announcing his squad, Murray, 50, said: “We have spoken about our aim and our goal – we want to go and win this tournament.

“In the Six Nations, most people expect an England, an Ireland or a France to win, but the expectation in this type of event is that we will win.

“Our aim is to get back to the top level of under-20 rugby. That is our goal.

“We want the boys to thrive under pressure and really grasp this opportunity to show people what they are all about.”

Making up the rest of the squad, to be captained by Liam McConnell, are forwards Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, Ryan Burke, Tom Currie, Robbie Deans, Freddy Douglas, Ruaraidh Hart, Euan McVie, Jonny Morris, Callum Norrie and Gavin Parry, plus backs Finlay Doyle, Jack Hocking, Geordie Gwynn, Andrew McLean, Findlay Thomson, Matthew Urwin, Johnny Ventisei, Fergus Watson and Kerr Yule.