Borderer Darcy Graham put in picture as Scots prepare for summer internationals and 2023 Rugby World Cup

Hawick's Darcy Graham posing for a selfie with fans during an open training session held by the Scottish national rugby team at Edinburgh's Hive Stadium on Friday (Pic: Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

Fellow Borderers Darcy Graham and Rory Sutherland were among the players put through their paces by ex-Gala and Border Reivers star Townsend, 50, ahead of his team’s Rugby World Cup warm-up game at home to Italy at next-door Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday, July 29.

Edinburgh winger Graham, 25, and Ulster loosehead prop Sutherland, 30, are the region’s only representatives in Scotland’s training squad following 100-times-capped fellow ex-Green Stuart Hogg’s retiral earlier this month at the age of 31.

Graham is currently on 33 caps and Sutherland on 23.

Borderer Darcy Graham during a Scotland training session at the Oriam in Edinburgh on Tuesday this week (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group/SRU)

Friday’s session, also featuring the launch of the team’s new kit, was followed by a meet-and-greet session giving supporters the chance to secure players’ autographs and pose for selfies with them.

July 29’s summer international will see Townsend’s side picking up where they left off as it’s a re-run of their last match, a 26-14 home win against the Italians in the Six Nations in March.

That 3.15pm kick-off fixture is followed by two more home warm-ups for this autumn’s world cup – against tournament hosts France on Saturday, August 5, also at 3.15pm, and Georgia on Saturday, August 26, at 5.30pm – and Jamie Ritchie, Hogg’s replacement as captain, says he can’t wait to skipper the national side again.

“We’re excited to get out there and play because that’s what we do it all for – to get out there and play in front of our fans,” said the 26-year-old.

Scotland rugby head coach Gregor Townsend during an open training session at Edinburgh's Hive Stadium on Friday (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group/SRU)

“The boys are in good shape. We’ve had our first block of training and everyone kept ticking over in their time off, so we went into the first week flying and started where we left off.

“That extended time together gives the guys that natural ability to connect and become better acquainted.

“We’re all really close as it is, so that extra time together has been improving on that connection as a squad. I think the squad are super-settled.”

Ritchie, capped 41 times since making his international debut in 2018, says he’s hoping to see Murrayfield packed for his team’s summer internationals to spur them on ready for their world cup pool games against Ireland, South Africa, Tonga and Romania, adding: “It means the world to us.

“There aren’t many better feelings than walking into Murrayfield and hearing that crowd and knowing that they are behind you.

“It gives us a real lift, especially when there are big moments in the game or the crowd feel like there’s something building. You can really feel that energy and that noise.”