GLASGOW WARRIORS’ BRILLIANT back row Josh Strauss has been included in Scotland’s squad for this month’s Rugby World Cup.

Strauss, a 28-year-old South African, arrived in Glasgow three years ago and will not qualify for his adopted nation until 19 September, one day after England kick off the tournament.

Fortunately for Vern Cotter, Scotland do not open their campaign until 23 September (against Japan in Kingsholm) so the skillful number eight will be available for the entire campaign.

John Hardie, who helped the Highlanders on their way to a Super XV title this year, is also named in the 31-man squad after his Scottish roots earned the Kiwi a call-up this summer. The inclusion of the New Zealander and Strauss chiefly comes at the expense of Glasgow’s Rob Harley and John Barclay (now of Scarlets).

Unlike his former coaching colleague Joe Schmidt, Cotter has opted for the more conventional squad make-up of three scrum-halves with centre Peter Horne and fullback Stuart Hogg able to cover the two specialist number 10s in an emergency.

Scotland squad for Rugby World Cup 2015

Props

Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby); 46 caps; 4 RWC appearances (2007 & 2011)
Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors); 23 caps
Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors); 11 caps
Willem Nel (Edinburgh Rugby); 2 caps
Jon Welsh (Newcastle Falcons); 6 caps

Hookers

Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors); 9 caps
Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby); 88 caps, 8 RWC appearances (2007 & 2011)
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh Rugby); 2 caps

Locks

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby); 10 caps
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors); 14 caps
Richie Gray (Castres); 45 caps; 4 RWC appearances (2011)
Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors); 12 caps

Back rows

David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby); 27 caps
John Hardie (Unattached); 1 cap
Josh Strauss (Glasgow Warriors); uncapped
Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan); 45 caps; 3 RWC appearances (2011)
Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors); 10 caps

Scrum-half

Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby); 7 caps
Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester); 40 caps
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors); 16 caps

Out-half

Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors); 10 caps
Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors); 19 caps

Centres

Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors); 8 caps
Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors); 10 caps
Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby); 28 caps
Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors); 22 caps, 3 RWC appearances (2011)

Wing

Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors); 96 caps, 8 RWC appearances (2007 & 2011)
Sean Maitland (London Irish); 15 caps
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors); 17 caps
Tim Visser (Harlequins); 20 caps

Fullback

Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); 33 caps.

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